Science Common Sense

1485 - What does the wave-particle duality of photons, electrons, and all microscopic particles mean?

Imagine you have a magic ball that can be either a bouncy ball or a splash of water, depending on how you look at it.

In science, tiny things like photons of light and electrons can behave in two different ways too. Sometimes they act like particles (the bouncy ball), and sometimes they act like waves (the splash of water). This is called wave-particle duality.

For example, when light goes through a narrow slit, it acts like a wave, making a pattern on the wall. But when scientists try to catch the light particles one by one, they act like individual particles, like tiny balls.

It's a weird and cool thing about the tiny world that helps us understand how the universe works.