Question

What is the dual nature of light? Discuss this with supporting theories and equations.

Needing some help understanding. Original answer please, I tried reading over other responses to this exact question and was not understanding too well. Thank you in advance!

Answer 1

I will try to explain by showing a simple analogy. Have you seen any movie in which actor plays dual role? Have you ever thought why the hell on this earth someone has to play dual role? I think you might agree with me if i say the dual role is important because the movie demands it otherwise the movie may lack something and would be boring to watch.

Same is the case with the light. The wave picture of light can be seen throughout the study of optics in which it fits perfectly.Obviously the particle nature of light doesn't work here and therefore the wave picture is respected here.

On the other hand you might have heard about the photoelectric effect for which Albert Einstein was awarded a noble prize in physics. In order to explain this effect the wave nature of light doesn't work. So Einstein assumed light to be a shot of quanta known as photon. Photon are nothing but the particles with which light is made of. Here we respect the particle nature.

Most unlikely we can also have other natures of light. We do not have evidence doesn’t mean it does not exist.

An alternative view; Light is continuous flow of corpuscles (photons). A photon has a disc-shaped 3D matter-core, spinning about one of its diameters. This 3D matter-core gives the light its particle nature.
Entire space, outside basic 3D matter-particle, is filled with an all-encompassing universal medium, structured by quanta of matter. 3D matter-core of a photon is surrounded by distorted region in universal medium (inertial-pocket). Inertial-pocket moves 3D matter-core of photon at the highest possible (hence constant) linear speed through universal medium and spins it at a frequency proportional to its 3D matter-content. For this, inertial pocket rotates around 3D matter-core, while moving in linear direction and carry the 3D matter-core. Due to linear and spin motions, inertial-pocket has all properties of EM waves, in every plane through it. This part give light its wave nature.

Hope this makes sense to you!! Let me know if you want any other explanations.