Background

Matter presents the particularity of having a wave and particle behaviour. This phenomenon is known as the wave-particle duality, or Complementarity. However, this enigma, which was challenged by so many physicists, has still not been solved.

This web page solves the mystery of the wave-particle duality, or complementarity, from a scientific point of view, giving a rational and logical explanation to this enigma.

Current definition of the wave-particle duality

It is generally accepted that the wave-particle duality is two different visions of a single object (fig. 1). Usually, physicists take a cylinder to explain duality. We observe either a rectangle or a circle depending on where we stand.

This metaphor is very interesting but it doesn't explain anything. It does not explain what really occurs on the particle level.

As a physicist, it is necessary to leave this philosophical aspect to the philosophers and to try to solve this enigma in a scientific way, with a logical and rational explanation.

Scientific explanation of the wave-particle duality

To understand the enigma of the wave-particle duality, let's take the following example.

Nature offers us identical situations: the water of Niagara Falls has a particle behavior during its fall and, once it has reached the river down below, the particles become "eddies", like waves.

The opposite situation also exists: let's take the example of an almost empty swimming pool. If we make only one wave in the residual water, some amount of water will spill out of the evacuation valve. Thus, the wave is transformed into a short filament of water, or "particle". The water that comes out from the evacuation valve is obviously not a wave. Yet, it is the same water that, a few seconds ago, was a wave.

It is useful to formalize these observations and to define the basic principles of the wave-particle duality.

Explanation of the wave-particle duality

When the particle and the wave are of a different matter, like stone and water, the enigma of wave-particle duality can't be solved. On the contrary, if the particle and the wave are of identical matter, like water/water in our example of the Kärcher, we see that the wave can be transformed into particles and the converse.

However, in our example, water coming out from the gun can't be transformed into waves if the experiment is done in air. This transformation is possible only if the medium is also water. In other words, the medium must also be in the same composition as the particle and the wave. It is a necessity.

To summarize: Wave–Particle Duality appears only in this very particular situation where the wave, the particle and the medium are of identical matter. Figure 2 shows several possibilities of duality between water and different matters.

Thus, we have a duality in the following cases: water/water/water, air/air/air etc... If one of these three elements is different to the others, the duality can't be explained logically and becomes a true mystery. Therefore, the first principle of the Wave-Particle Duality is:

Wave-particle duality can exist only if, and only if

have the same constitution.

Confirmation

We have three indications in favour of this explanation:

1. The fact that, in experimentations, the particle and the wave states never appear simultaneously (second principle of the wave-particle duality).

2. The fact that the solving of the wave-particle duality explains perfectly why electromagnetism appears only when the particle is moving (third principle).

3. The fact that the solving of the wave-particle duality solves all enigmas of quantum mechanics, up to 53 !!! (see the Spacetime Model). The logical solution to all these enigmas may be the best proof that the explanation given here is correct. Solving so many enigmas can't be merely a matter of chance.

Conclusions

The wave-particle duality has always been regarded as a burden for the physicists because no one has been able to explain it rationally. This enigma is summarized as follows:

The present explanation (the Spacetime Model) does not share this “theory of irrational” of quantum mechanics. It transforms this disadvantage into an advantage. Instead of regarding duality as a burden, it regards it as luck, the great luck to solve the mystery of matter. Indeed, this enigma, which is not a mystery anymore, is summarized as follows: