Under which scenario does light exhibit its wave-particle duality?

• A. Only in reflection
• B. During refraction through a prism
• C. In the photoelectric effect and diffraction experiments
• D. When passing through a polarizing filter

Answer: (C)

Light exhibits its wave-particle duality prominently in scenarios such as the photoelectric effect and diffraction experiments. The photoelectric effect demonstrates the particle nature of light, where photons (the particle aspect of light) strike a material and can eject electrons from it, indicating that light carries energy in discrete packets.

On the other hand, diffraction experiments showcase the wave nature of light, where it bends around obstacles and spreads out after passing through narrow openings, creating interference patterns characteristic of waves. This duality is essential in understanding the behavior of light, as it does not fit purely into classical descriptions of either waves or particles but instead incorporates aspects of both depending on the experimental context.

The other scenarios listed don’t exhibit the duality traits as clearly. Reflection mainly demonstrates wave-like behavior without bringing the particle aspect into play, refraction through a prism illustrates bending of light waves due to changes in speed in different media, and passing through a polarizing filter shows the wave nature by filtering the orientation of light waves without demonstrating particle-like behavior.