Chapter Three: Wave-Particle Duality

In this chapter, we will dive deeper into the concept of wave-particle duality, which is one of the fundamental principles of quantum physics.

Wave-particle duality refers to the idea that particles, such as electrons and photons, can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. This may seem strange or confusing, but it is actually a fundamental feature of the quantum world.

One way to understand wave-particle duality is to think about the way that light behaves. Light is made up of tiny particles called photons, but it can also exhibit wave-like properties, such as interference and diffraction. This is because photons can behave like both waves and particles, depending on how we observe them.

Another way to understand wave-particle duality is to think about the way that electrons behave. Electrons are typically thought of as particles, but they can also exhibit wave-like properties, such as diffraction and interference. This is because electrons have a "wave function" that describes their probability of being in a particular location or having a particular energy.

Wave-particle duality has important consequences for our understanding of the quantum world, and it has led to many important discoveries and technologies. For example, the development of the electron microscope, which uses electrons to create images of very small objects, relies on the wave-like properties of electrons.

In the next section, we will learn about some of the experiments that have helped scientists understand wave-particle duality and other quantum phenomena.