Skip to main content

Is light a particle or a wave? - Colm Kelleher

1,642,534 Views

17,277 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

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.

Colm says, "Even geniuses sometimes get things wrong." What other major scientific principles did scientists get wrong for centuries and centuries? When were these principles correctly proven?

Sign in to answer question

About TED-Ed Animations

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

More from Before and After Einstein