A consequence of wave-particle duality is that elementary particles, such as electrons and photons, can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior depending on the experimental setup and the method of observation. This duality challenges our classical understanding of particles as discrete, localized entities and waves as continuous, spread-out phenomena.
Specifically, the consequence of wave-particle duality is that particles can exhibit wave properties, such as interference and diffraction. Interference refers to the phenomenon where waves can combine and either reinforce or cancel each other out, resulting in patterns of constructive or destructive interference. Diffraction is the bending or spreading of waves as they pass through an aperture or around an obstacle.
The classic experiment that demonstrates wave-particle duality is the double-slit experiment. When a beam of particles, such as electrons or photons, is directed at a barrier with two slits, an interference pattern emerges on a screen behind the barrier. This pattern can only be explained if we consider the particles as waves interfering with each other. However, when detectors are placed to determine which slit each particle passes through, the interference pattern disappears, and the particles behave as discrete particles.
In summary, wave-particle duality implies that fundamental particles can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties, and their behavior is context-dependent, manifesting either as localized particles or as spread-out waves with interference and diffraction characteristics.