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term coined by Lewis
A '''photon''' is a particle of light.
A '''photon''' is a particle of light. The term was coined by the American physical chemist Gilbert Newton Lewis.<ref>{{cite web |title=Should creationists accept quantum mechanics?|author=Jonathan Sarfati|publisher=CMI|url=http://creation.com/creationists-quantum-mechanics#txtRef15|accessdate=August 1, 2013|quote=Einstein called this Lichtquant or light quantum, but the American physical chemist Gilbert Newton Lewis (1875–1946) coined the term photon which stuck}}</ref>
Since Newton's publication of his [[Opticks]] in 1704, his corpuscle theory of light dominated the world of physics. However, this changed in the 19th century with experiments done by [[Fresnel|Augustin-Jean Fresnel]] and [[Young|Thomas Young]], which supported [[Huygens|Christian Huygens]]'s wave theory. One of the proofs for this is that light experiences [[Optics#Physical_optics|interference]] and [[Optics#Physical_optics|diffraction]], which would not be displayed if light were a classical particle. Furthermore, [[James Clerk Maxwell]] theoretical prediction of electromagnetic waves, together with [[Hertz|Heinrich Hertz]] experiments led to conclude that light was an electromagnetic wave.
Since Newton's publication of his [[Opticks]] in 1704, his corpuscle theory of light dominated the world of physics. However, this changed in the 19th century with experiments done by [[Fresnel|Augustin-Jean Fresnel]] and [[Young|Thomas Young]], which supported [[Huygens|Christian Huygens]]'s wave theory. One of the proofs for this is that light experiences [[Optics#Physical_optics|interference]] and [[Optics#Physical_optics|diffraction]], which would not be displayed if light were a classical particle. Furthermore, [[James Clerk Maxwell]] theoretical prediction of electromagnetic waves, together with [[Hertz|Heinrich Hertz]] experiments led to conclude that light was an electromagnetic wave.
Photons are [[bosons]], that is, particles that have integer [[Quantum_field_theory#Field_Bosons_Mediate_Action_At_a_Distance|spin]]. In [[quantum field theory]], photons are the mediators of the [[electromagnetic force]].
Photons are [[bosons]], that is, particles that have integer [[Quantum_field_theory#Field_Bosons_Mediate_Action_At_a_Distance|spin]]. In [[quantum field theory]], photons are the mediators of the [[electromagnetic force]].
==References==
<references/>
==See also==
==See also==