Light, the Quantum Concept, and the Photoelectric Effect

During the 20th century, physicists studying the nature of light stumbled upon some profound discoveries that changed the traditional view that light traveled as waves. In fact, light has a dual nature; it has characteristics of both waves and particles. In this topic, you will learn about the scientists responsible for discovering that energy travels in specific packets and not continuous quantities. Once this discovery was made, it became the foundation for modern atomic theory.

Essential Question

• How did the study of light lead to knowledge about the quantum concept and the photoelectric effect?