Re: Voting on LIGHT (was energy with Q)

[William Beaty <billb@ESKIMO.COM>]

On Wed, 14 Nov 2001, Tim O'Donnell wrote:

> I thought that is pretty clear cut.
> Light (all electromagnetic) is comprised of photons
> (particles)

So in the wave/particle battle, light does not act like waves?

Particles such as grains of dust or very small bullets are not quanta.  A
stream of cannonballs does not display interference effects as do
electrons, photons, etc.  Unless students are *very* sophisticated, they
will hear the word "particles" and think of tiny billiard balls.  They
will hear the word "particles" and assume that the wave/particle duality
no longer needs be confronted.

Here's a statement which forces us to think, rather than whitewashing the
issue:

   Light is NOT made of particles.  Instead it is made of quanta.



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