👉 In the context of physics, particularly in quantum mechanics and particle physics, the terms "light particles" and "light particles" are often used interchangeably to describe photons, which are the fundamental particles that mediate electromagnetic interactions. Photons are considered light particles because they exhibit properties characteristic of light, such as being massless and traveling at the speed of light in a vacuum. However, from a more fundamental perspective, photons are quanta of the electromagnetic field, meaning they are discrete packets of energy rather than continuous waves. Despite this quantum description, photons still share many classical properties with light particles, such as being able to be emitted and absorbed by atoms, and playing a crucial role in phenomena like reflection, refraction, and the photoelectric effect. In everyday language, when discussing light, the terms "light particles" and "photons" are often used synonymously to convey the idea of these discrete energy carriers that make up the electromagnetic spectrum.
