Light and Optics

Light I: Particle or Wave?

by Nathaniel Page Stites, M.A./M.S.

Further Exploration

How Light Works

C. Freudenrich, Howstuffworks - A good summary of the light/particle nature of light.

Interference and Diffraction Patterns

C. Colwell, PhysicsLab Online - A concise mathemetical description of intereference and diffraction as relevant to Young's experiment.

Direct Measurement Videos

Direct Measurement videos show situations that viewers can use to learn and apply physics concepts. Grids, rulers, and frame-counters are added as overlays on the video. These allow viewers to make precise measurements of quantities such as position and time.

Biography

Thomas Young

Thomas Young

Classics

Experiments and Calculations Relative to Physical Optics

T. Young, Philosophical Transactions - Original 1803 text of Young's presentation as published in the journal of the Royal Society.

News & Events

Young's Experiment in Top Ten Most Beautiful

New York Times

Frozen Light: Cool NASA Research Holds Promise

NASA

Current Science News

News from around the world of science.

Research

Google Scholar

Google - Research database allows searching of the scholarly literature.

Experiment!

Pulse Addition Applet

B. Taylor, Miami U. - Experiment with constructive and destructive interference with this wave pulse addition tool.

Young's Experiment

A simple guide to reproducing Thomas Young's famous experiment with light.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States

National Academies Press: A Framework for K-12 Science Education

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