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Can anyone briefly explain the behaviour of photons in quantum physics using a polarised light experiment?
I understand quantum physics when explained by the two slit experiment using electrons (demonstrating the wave particle duality, measurement affecting the system etc). I am reading about a similar experiment which is supposed to explain the same thing but I don't understand it. 45 degree polarised Light is incidented on an H/V polariser which splits it into vertical and horizontally polarised light, the separate beams hit two separate + and - 45 polarisers splitting each separate beam into two more beams and then onto detectors. Isn't the 45 degree polarised light already polarised? how does the H/V polariser split it into two more beams? even then, how do the beams out of the H/V polarised get further polarised by the + and - 45 polariser? and The author of my textbook is CRAP!
Goring: are you saying there is no wave/particle duality? light is made of micro mass behaving like a wave but is never a wave? is that generally accepted?? my book is about 5 years old so this may be new....
3 Answers
- goringLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
The 2 slit experiment was done by Young. However the duality of light has been grossly misunderstood. As you can see one can take an experiment and make it mean somethiong else.
If the particles of light (not the photon which is defined as a lump of energy ,whatever that is?) is a micro mass moving in a sequence at same velocity and distance as its neighboor particles the frequency of the number or particles passing thru can be calculated with the same formula as a wave. But its not a wave.In this sense it behaves like a wave.
The slit experiment assumed radial waves and interference at the intersection of the wave.
However the Interference was really caused by micro mass of light particle collison with the walls of the slit(note the particle of light is extremely small)bouncing elastically and than colliding before it reached the wall they were projected on. Hence at the point of collison an interference pattern would show just matching as if if was a wave.
The Solution to the problem was very simple and can be proven by using large masses instead of light particle in an experiment to mimic the 2 lit one.
Similar patterns have been observed in large tanks using movement of water molecules thru two slots.
It is unfortunate that light is so misunderstood and so are the experiments concerning it.
Light is not a schizophrenic Entity. That is why some of the physics experiment about light text books dont make sense to you
Source(s): My own collision experiments See also The Publication of Milton .W. Monson on Physics.Titled Physics is constipated=That may give you better idea how light moves. - Anonymous1 decade ago
splitting and polarising are done at separate times.
splitting is done via a semi-silvered mirror.
the already polarised light can certainly be repolarised. if this is done, the original state is simply lost. well, maybe not simply.
- Mr CellophaneLv 61 decade ago
I feel your pain. Unfortunately I loaned out my "Dancing Wo Li Masters" book. It broke down quantum therory into laymans terms and used eastern phlosophical analogy. Interesting book.
