QJEEM25Ph7965: JEE Main 2025 Physics - Class 12 JEEM25Ph7965 Solution: Which of the following phenomena cannot be explained by wave…
Which of the following phenomena cannot be explained by wave theory of light?
Multiple Choice Options
- A Refraction of light
- B Reflection of light
- C Diffraction of light
- D Compton effect
Step-by-Step Verified Solution
Solution Explanation
Among the four listed phenomena:
Reflection of light
Wave theory (Huygens’s principle, for example) adequately explains reflection.
Refraction of light
Wave theory also explains refraction via the change of wave speed in different media.
Diffraction of light
Wave theory (again, Huygens–Fresnel principle) explains the bending of waves around obstacles.
Compton effect
This involves inelastic scattering of photons by electrons (where the photon loses energy and is scattered with a longer wavelength).
Wave theory alone cannot explain the discrete energy exchange and wavelength shift; it requires the particle (photon) concept from quantum theory.
Hence, the phenomenon not explained by the (classical) wave theory is the Compton effect.
Answer: (D) Compton effect.