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Is light a particle or a wave? - Colm Kelleher

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17,122 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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Can we accurately describe light as exclusively a wave or just a particle? Are the two mutually exclusive? In this third part of his series on light and color, Colm Kelleher discusses wave-particle duality and its relationship to how we see light and, therefore, color.

WatchThink 5 Multiple Choice &
3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More
Who hypothesized that light was not perceived by tiny probes released from the eyes, but rather by sensing the light emitted by objects outside of the body?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Colm Kelleher
  • Artist Cynthea Mazur Diaz
  • Director Nelson Diaz
  • Narrator Colm Kelleher

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