A Dilemma of Modern Physics
A talk by Professor N. F. Mott , F.R.s.
Two rival theories of the nature of light have played an important part in physical science. According to one theory, a beam of light consists of a stream of particles or corpuscles. while according to the other it consists of waves in some medium that fills all space. New experimental facts, discovered about the year 1900. led Einstein to suggest that light behaves sometimes like waves and sometimes like particles. Moreover, this curious dual behaviour was later shown to be a property not only of light but also Of cathode rays or electrons.
Professor Mott discusses the explanation of this behaviour-an explanation which is part of the modern theory of matter known as quantum mechanics or wave mechanics