Define light- what is light?

Question

A laser beam if diffracted splits into seperate beams, however they cause interference patterns if they cross over, as a wave does. Is it a stream of photons or is it a continaul wave of electrons moving either longitudinally or transversely?

Answer 1

Also called luminous energy, radiant energy. electromagnetic radiation to which the organs of sight react, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 700 nm and propagated at a speed of 186,282 mi./sec (299,972 km/sec), considered variously as a wave, corpuscular, or quantum phenomenon.

Answer 2

Scientists use both models to describe the 2 different phenomenon you have listed.  A particle can have a wavelength (DeBroglie lambda=h/p http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Broglie_... and so light acts in both ways.

Answer 3

I just view light as photons that cause wave-like effect in electromagnetic field around themselves. So there's both the wave and the particle, when you look at light. The particles can be diffracted into separate beams, and the waves caused by those particles can cause interference when they combine.

Answer 4

The photon is the particle responsible for electromagnetic phenomena. It is the carrier of electromagnetic radiation of all wavelengths, including gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared light, microwaves, and radio waves.  Light (including lasers) are comprised of photons, and happens to be the part of the EM Spectrum that our eyes can perceive.  Photons and electrons are not the same particle, though they both deal with energy.

At the bottom of the EM Spectrum is sound waves, then radio waves  followed by microwaves and infrared light.  Visible (to humans) light is next, then ultraviolet light, followed by X-rays and then Gamma rays.

Answer 5

its a WAVEICLE!

;)

Answer 6

Light has dual nature.Sometimes it behaves like waves but at other occasions it behaves like photon particles.

Answer 7

The opposite of Dark!

Answer 8

It's photons, not electrons.  It's the nature of photons that cause this and other phenomenon.  Study up on your quantum physics, and you might just start to comprehend how much we don't understand.

Answer 9

it's photons.  

they behave exactly like photons

which is not like a classical particle or a classical wave

they just happen to 'look' like either one depending what you do with them.  it's not even 'dual nature'.  its just the behaviour of quantum mechanical objects.    Forget the question 'is it a wave or a particle?'  because photons, electrons etc are not truly either in the classic sense.  they are just photons. they do what they do 100% of the time