Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Today, it is of interest to note that Newton's more complex
theory prevailed. Thus, Newton's most conspicuous and original
hypotheses, that the light stimulus that generated the apparently
simple sensation of white was compounded and determined by
primary lights mixed in due proportion, and that the solar spectrum
consisted of an innumerable number of different lights linked to
different hue sensations, were later embraced by Young, Maxwell and
Helmholtz.
On the other hand, faced with Thomas Young's famous double
slit experiment, where he explained the interference pattern obtained
by the wave concept of light, and the test experiment carried out by
François Aragon in 1819, that came out strongly in favour of the wave
model of Augustin Fresnel, the scientific community in the early
1800s abandoned Newton's corpuscular theory of light in favour of
the wave theory (see Gribbin,
2003
, pp. 403-410).
Newton knew that there had to be an intimate relation between
light and waves, but did not consider the wave aspect to be an intrinsic
part of his concept of light. Thus, he wrote, 'For, assuming the rays of
light to be small bodies emitted every way from shining substances,
those, when they impinge on any refracting or reflecting superficies,
must as necessarily excite vibration in the æther, as stones do in water
when thrown into it' (see Newton,
1675
, p. 179, 193-194).
It should be noted, however, that Newton's corpuscular theory
of light gained renewed interest in 1905, when Einstein explained the
photoelectric effect by Planck's quantum principle and so was led to
postulate the existence of 'quanta' of light.
At present, it is generally held that photons have both particle-
and wave-like attributes. (For modern notions about elemen-
tary and force particles including the photon, see Greene,
2005
,
pp. 84-95,180-199, 344-360.)
It is of interest to note that a controversy concerning the nature
of light similar to that between Newton and Hooke took place between
Democritus and Aristotle. While Democritus held that objects could
be seen through an empty space, Aristotle assumed that movement
