There are various ways to put the laws of quantum mechanics into mathematical form.  One such form is a wave equation.  Another way is presented by Richard P. Feynman in the book "QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter ".   In chapter 1 of this book Feynman looks at the partial reflection of light from surfaces.

Read Chapter 1 of "QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" by Richard P. Feynman (Princeton University Press, 1985).  You can listen to Richard Feynman delivering the actual lectures at http://www.vega.org.uk/video/subseries/8.
You will find a link to chapter 1 under course materials on Blackboard.

As you read, answer the following questions.

• By what practical method(s) can one detect a single photon?

• How in the world can this SINGLE photon be BOTH reflected AND transmitted at the surface of the glass?  Or do both happen?

• A very thin sheet of glass yields zero reflection.  How can this be, when the SAME FRACTION is reflected from both front and back surface?

• When the exploring photon is NOT reflected from a very thin sheet of glass, where does the photon go?  Where can it be detected?

• Addition of arrows:
  Arrow V is 2 units long and points north.
  Arrow W is 1 unit long and points east.
  Arrow X is 2.5 units long and points south.
  Arrow Y is 3 units long and points west.
  Arrow Z is 0.5 units long and points north.
  When these arrows are added together, what is the DIRECTION and LENGTH of the resulting arrow?  Is the resulting arrow different if the arrows are added together in a different order?

Use Microsoft Word to prepare a report that contains your answers to these questions.

For extra credit (up to 5 points) hand in or email your report before the extra credit 1 due date.