Chemistry / Unit 5 Chem 0783 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Wave-Particle Duality of Light
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The idea
Light behaves as a wave in phenomena like diffraction, but the photoelectric effect shows light also delivers energy in discrete packets called photons.
In practice
A photon's energy, E = hν, explains why light must exceed a threshold frequency to eject an electron, unlike a pure-wave model.
Where people slip
Wave and particle are two descriptions light exhibits in different experiments, not separate kinds of light alternating.
Your place on the trail
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Builds on
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