Quantum physics is a discipline that has experimented with light to determine if it is a particle or a wave, and the answer turns out to be... "yes".
Depending on how the experiment is set up, light is definitely a wave... and it is definitely a particle, and there are even more characteristics that make light into an enigma.
Find a good book on quantum physics that is written to your level if you want to learn more. It's a fascinating subject.
Water waves are mechanical waves that require a medium (water) to travel through, while sound waves are mechanical waves that can travel through different mediums such as air, water, or solids. Water waves are transverse waves, where the particles move perpendicular to the direction of the wave, while sound waves are longitudinal waves, where the particles move parallel to the direction of the wave.
Light waves originate from a light source, such as the sun, a light bulb, or a laser. When an object absorbs energy, it can emit photons, which are the elementary particles of light that travel as electromagnetic waves.
Visible light and other waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. These waves unlike sound waves can travel through vacuums and do so at c (3x10^8 m/s). The spectrum is very broad and includes microwaves, ultraviolet , x-rays, and our own visible light spectrum. These waves are differentiated based on their frequency but all contain photons, mass-less charge-less particles, hence the dual nature of light (light and other waves behave both as particles and waves, confusing i know :P) basically what this means is that the only difference between visible light, x-rays, and microwaves is the frequency of the photon wave.
The differences between light and sound are as follows:Light can be considered to be made of waves as well as particles. Sound is only a wave. It does not show particle nature.Light waves are electromagnetic waves while sound waves are mechanical waves.Light waves are transverse while sound waves are longitudinal.Light waves can travel in vacuum. Sound waves require a material medium to travel, and hence, cannot travel in vacuum.The speed of light in a medium is constant. The velocity of sound waves can change.In sound waves, the particles of the medium actually oscillate. In a light wave, the electric and magnetic vectors oscillate.Light waves can be polarized, but sound waves cannot.Light waves travel much faster than sound waves. The speed of light is a physical constant. Its value is exactly 299,792,458 metres per second in vacuuum. The speed of sound is 343 metres per second in dry air at 20°C.And finally, a simple one - you can see light while you can hear sound.
Pulsars emit pulses of radio waves because their strong magnetic fields accelerate charged particles, causing them to emit these waves. The energy distribution of the particles in a pulsar's magnetosphere favors radio waves over visible light.
Light exhibits characteristics of both waves and particles. This duality is known as wave-particle duality and is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics. Depending on the experimental setup, light can behave as either waves or particles.
The main difference between light and x-rays is that x-rays are radiation.
radio telescope detects radio waves and a light telescope views light waves.
Wavlength
... particles.... particles.... particles.... particles.
Light waves are created when charged particles, such as electrons, are accelerated or decelerated. This acceleration causes the particles to emit photons, which are particles of light that travel as waves. This process occurs in various natural phenomena and in artificial sources such as light bulbs and lasers.
light
Light waves are electromagnetic waves that are caused by the acceleration of charged particles, such as electrons. These charged particles create oscillating electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space as light waves.
The main difference between a radio wave and a light wave is their wavelengths. Light waves have shorter wavelengths compared to radio waves. Additionally, light waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be seen by the human eye, whereas radio waves are typically used for communication and have longer wavelengths.
Light behaves as both particles (photons) and waves. This is known as the wave-particle duality of light, as described by quantum mechanics. Depending on the experiment or observation, light can exhibit characteristics of both particles and waves.
Yes, there is a difference between reflection and scattering. Reflection is the process where light or other waves bounce off a surface in a consistent angle, like a mirror. Scattering, on the other hand, is when light or waves bounce off in different directions due to interactions with the surface or particles.
Identical light waves in phase are called coherent light waves. Coherent waves have a constant phase difference between them, which allows for constructive interference and the formation of interference patterns.