The Double Slit Experiment is a famous physics experiment that demonstrates the wave-particle duality of light and matter. It was first performed by Thomas Young in 1801 to show that light behaves as a wave, but later experiments revealed that light also exhibits particle-like properties.

The Oddities of Light

Is Light a Wave or a Particle?

Neither, but also both, depending on the circumstances

We often think of light as a wave, like ripples on a pond. This is because light can exhibit behaviors such as interference and diffraction, which are characteristic of waves. However, light also behaves like a particle in certain situations, such as when it interacts with matter in discrete packets called photons.