Skip to Main Content

Principal Sponsors

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
The Hewlett Logo

Makes grants to address the most serious social and environmental problems facing society, where risk capital, responsibly invested, may make a difference over time.
The NSF LogoNational Science Foundation

An independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science.

Excellence Center of Science and Mathematics Education at King Saud University LogoExcellence Center of Science and Mathematics Education at King Saud University

King Saud University seeks to become a leader in educational and technological innovation, scientific discovery and creativity through fostering an atmosphere of intellectual inspiration and partnership for the prosperity of society.

Other Sponsors Logo

Quantum Wave Interference

When do photons, electrons, and atoms behave like particles and when do they behave like waves? Watch waves spread out and interfere as they pass through a double slit, then get detected on a screen as tiny dots. Use quantum detectors to explore how measurements change the waves and the patterns they produce on the screen.

  Checkmark Rating Image
See changelog
Version 1.09
1718 KB
share sim: Icon for Digg StumbleUpon Toolbar
Topics Teaching Ideas Software Requirements Translated Versions Credits

Topics

Main Topics

  • Quantum
  • Photons
  • Electrons
  • Atoms
  • Particles
  • Waves

Related Topics

Sample Learning Goals

  • Visualize a photon, electron, neutron, or helium atom as a wave packet that collapses upon detection.
  • Visualize what happens to the wave between slit and screen.
  • Justify how the double slit experiment explains that matter and light behave as waves.
  • Describe the behavior of a wave function in the presence of a detector, and explain how putting a detector over a slit destroys the interference pattern.
  • Determine how the interference pattern will change if you change the mass, speed, or wavelength.
  • Recognize large range of size scales involved in quantum interference experiments.
  • Recognize that two coherent light sources can interfere, but only if they have the same wavelength.

Go to Top Image

Teaching Ideas

Tips for Teachers

The teacher's guide contains tips for teachers created by the PhET team (PDF).

Ideas and Activities for this Sim

There are 3 contributions listed.

Ascending Sort (Z-A)Title Author Level Type Updated
Probability and Randomness Interactive Lecture Designed by PhET IconImage of Gold StarS. McKaganUG-Intro
UG-Adv		CQs
Demo		7/08
The Two-Slit Experiment R. TevlinHSDemo
HW
CQs		5/08
Wave Particle Duality Designed by PhET IconImage of Gold StarS. McKaganUG-Intro
UG-Adv		HW7/08

Submit Your Ideas & Activities

Note: The maximum file size is 64M, with a maximum upload of 64M at a time.

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

title*
file(s)
grade level(s)*
Check the PhET design guidelines (PDF)

Go to Top Image

Software Requirements

Java Icon

Windows Systems Macintosh Systems Linux Systems
Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

 OS 10.4.11 or later
Apple Java 1.5.0_19 or later

 Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later

Go to Top Image

Translated Versions

Run localized Download
Chinese Taiwan Chinese, Taiwan Download
Croatian Croatian Download
Dutch Dutch Download
Greek Greek Download
Polish Polish Download
Portuguese Portuguese Download
Russian Russian Download
Slovak Slovak Download
Spanish Spanish Download
Vietnamese Vietnamese Download

Go to Top Image

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Wendy Adams
  • Sam McKagan (lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Sam Reid (developer)
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Danielle Harlow
  • Interviewer: Sam McKagan
Login / Register