Slightly beyond the scope of an A-Level syllabus don't you think?mepcotterell said:
Yes, I think it's a fine topic. Be sure to cover the part where electrons create an interference pattern when they pass through a double slit, even when they are fired through one at a time... Reality can be very strange sometimes.alex_boothby said:
Well, the solar neutrino controversy was pretty cool, and just got resolved recently. There was a pretty good Nova episode on it a few months back. The original calculations for the amount of neutrino flux that we should expect coming from our sun did not agree with the first few (big) experiments in neutrino detectors. This caused all kinds of discomfort and controversy, through many years and multiple (bigger and bigger and deeper underground, etc.) detector designs. Finally some clues led to the explanation -- neutrino oscillation. Very cool stuff. You should be able to find good info by googling solar neutrino flux controversy something something.alex_boothby said:
Yes, but it would still be cool...Hootenanny said:Slightly beyond the scope of an A-Level syllabus don't you think?
Wave-particle duality is a concept in quantum mechanics that describes the dual nature of particles. It suggests that particles, such as electrons and photons, can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior depending on how they are observed.
The concept of wave-particle duality was first proposed by physicists in the early 20th century, including Albert Einstein and Louis de Broglie. It emerged as a way to explain the behavior of subatomic particles, which seemed to behave like waves in some experiments and like particles in others.
The concept of wave-particle duality has had a significant impact on the field of physics and has led to groundbreaking discoveries, such as the development of quantum mechanics and the understanding of phenomena like the photoelectric effect. It has also opened up new avenues for research in areas such as quantum computing and quantum entanglement.
Scientists study wave-particle duality through various experiments, including the double-slit experiment and the photoelectric effect. They also use mathematical models and theories, such as the Schrödinger equation, to describe the behavior of particles at the quantum level.
While wave-particle duality has been well-established in theory, there are still challenges in fully understanding and describing it. One major challenge is the reconciliation of wave-particle duality with Einstein's theory of relativity. Additionally, there is ongoing research to better understand the nature of particles and their behavior in different conditions.