👉 The tension in the concept of "light particles" arises from the fundamental divide between classical and quantum physics. In classical physics, light is understood as an electromagnetic wave—a continuous flow of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. However, this view fails to explain phenomena such as the photoelectric effect, where light can eject electrons from a metal surface only if its frequency exceeds a certain threshold, regardless of intensity. Quantum mechanics resolves this by proposing that light is composed of discrete packets of energy called photons, each carrying a specific amount of energy proportional to its frequency. This particle-like behavior of light contradicts the wave theory and introduces a fundamental uncertainty in the nature of light, challenging our intuitive understanding of how energy and matter interact at the smallest scales.
