The virtual double-slit experiment to the High School level (Part II): a quantum analysis of behavior corpuscular and wave aspect of the light

Abstract

This work analyzes the virtual double slit experiment and it has been divided into two parts: Part I, which dealt with the classical behavior analysis (corpuscular and wave) and Part II (this article) addresses the quantum behavior of light (photons). The methodology process has been divided into three (3) steps: (i) First, we analyze based on the use of virtual experiments, the behavior of a beam of light across a wall with two slits. In this case, it is light shows interference. (ii) Then, we use the same experiment, but in this situation with individual photons. The photons behave like waves and show interference, such as before. (iii) Finally, to find out what was happening, put a detector near the cracks. In this situation, strangely, the photons behave like particles (corpuscles). In order to explain these results, we use the notation of brackets proposed by Paul Dirac (1902-1984) that allows us to represent the state vectors, which allow us to show, mathematically, what happens in the double slit experiment with quantum objects. Due to the mathematical complexity (for high school) intrinsic to the notation of Dirac we proposed a sort of "translation" of this mathematical resource for this level. We believe that this device could be useful for understanding other concepts of quantum mechanics, such as spin 1/2 and two-tier systems’.

Keywords

• mecânica quântica
• experimento da dupla fenda
• ensino de física