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Article: Q. Why are there so many different models of light? (Science 101: Background boosters for elementary teachers).
- Article from:
- Science and Children
- Article date:
- October 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 National Science Teachers Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A: Is light a ray, a wave, or a particle? Yes, yes, and yes. An article in this issue ("The Benefits of Scientific Modeling," p. 40) discusses the process of scientific modeling, and light is a great example of how modeling works. There are three viable models for light, each appropriate for different situations. I'll discuss the situations to which each applies, and then discuss how these different explanations are all compatible with one another.
The Ray Model
Light is often represented as a bunch of rays, as illustrated in Figure 1. In fact, this is pretty much the only model used for light in elementary and middle school textbooks.
In this ...