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Originally Posted by
RachieRu 
The double slit experiment? Finlay kind of recalled reading about that when he had been home schooled. When he really hadn't been paying attention to his studies, which was probably a bad idea, because it would be rather useful now right? He pulled a bit of a face, and he tried to remember what it had said. Gah. He could remember a little bit, but it was kind of distant, and not really making any sense. "Isn't it when a scientist, had an experiment where particles, or beams passed through two slits, which were quite close together?" Hence Double slits right?
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Originally Posted by
Zoerawrr Alex did the whole raisy hand thing.
"I can't say I've ever heard of it, but logic suggests it has something to do with light, two slits... and seeing what the light does, like mayyyybe going in a straight line or crossing over or spreading out. Possibly a reflection-y thing? Not sure," he added, just in case Antares didn't get that he wasn't being super smart, and his guess work was amazing.
You know, assuming he was somehow right.
"Quick question, as a sideline... metal can glow red hot, right? Can things get white with heat? 'Cause you hear about things being white hot... and yeah."
"You're both correct," Risu said with a nod. "To answer your question, Mr Miner, yes, they can. The reason quantum mechanics was developed was that at some wavelengths, of which red and white hot would be two examples, classical physics did not work out. The equations produced the aforementioned infinities." He wandered over to the blackboard. "If I could find a piece of chalk... Ha!" He picked it up triumphantly and began drawing on the blackboard.
"The basic set-up for the double-slit experiment is sort of like this," Risu said, finishing the drawing and turning around again. He picked up his wand and tapped the blackboard behind his back, giving the drawing some orange colour.
"We have a light source at the bottom, shining light through the two slits, onto a surface at the back. When this experiment is performed - which you can do yourself, if you feel like it, it doesn't take a lot to set up, as you can see - a characteristic pattern of light and shadow emerges. It's reminiscent of water waves overlapping... And there's a hint as to what light can be. Waves! But at the same time, other areas of the surface at the back that are lit up can only be, well, lit up if light is a stream of particles."
He glanced at the drawing. It wouldn't win any prizes, but it should help visualising the experiment. "What quantum mechanics tells us is that light can be a particle and a wave
simultaneously. Some scientists have suggest the term 'wavicle' for this - matter exhibiting characteristics of both a particle and a wave."
Risu raised two fingers. "We've learned two things about quantum mechanics already. First, all energy is transmitted in little packages called quanta. Second, matter - everything from light to electrons - is not simply made up of little bits and pieces. Matter is partly waves, partly particles, depending on what is being measured. Any questions about these two basic ideas of quantum mechanics?"