Double Slit Experiment

The double-slit experiment demonstrates the wave-particle duality of light and matter. When a beam of light or particles (like electrons) passes through two closely spaced slits and strikes a screen, an interference pattern appears—bright and dark fringes—indicating wave-like behavior. However, when the particles are observed to determine which slit they pass through, the interference pattern disappears, and the particles behave like classical particles, forming two distinct clusters on the screen. This experiment highlights the fundamental principle of quantum mechanics: particles have both wave and particle properties, and the act of measurement influences their behavior. It suggests that reality at the quantum level is probabilistic, not deterministic, challenging classical intuition.

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