Why does light behave like a partical and a wave?

Answer 1

It really depends on the kind of experiment that you are running to measure the different aspects of light. If you reduce the intensity of light right down your experiments will show light acting like particles (photons). For example specks of light will show up on a sensitive screen.

For optical experiments like with lenses light behaves like wave mostly.

The particles of light tend to behave like waves because they cannot be exactly measured while they are moving, a sort of spreadout effect if you like.

Answer 2

The methods used to test the nature of light.
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/articles/ekspong/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_source#Light_sources

I personally think that Einstein was right in his equation E = mc^2
Rearranging that equation, one can solve for Mass as it relates to light and energy. So, Light is a form of energy and of mass and is thus converted when an experiment is performed.

Here is a nice poem about experimentation.

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a WALL!"


The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, "Ho, what have we here,
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a SPEAR!"

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a SNAKE!"

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he:
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a TREE!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a FAN!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a ROPE!"

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

Answer 3

It behaves like a particle because it has momentum and exists in quantized packets called photons. But it has no mass and the speed of all photons is constant (in the same medium) so energy and momentum varies according to the wavelength.

Answer 4

Light is no longer fastest, it's not like light is a God that should be idolized and prayed to... anymore. Gravity has been proven to be faster than the speed of light. Gravity has been proven to be faster than the speed of light because it, I, have lifted off the ground to free a people from war, light is acting as a sense.