What experiment demonstrates light's wave-like behavior through an interference pattern?

Young’s double-slit experiment is a fundamental demonstration of light's wave-like behavior through the creation of an interference pattern. In this experiment, when coherent light (such as from a laser) passes through two close, parallel slits, it produces a series of alternating bright and dark fringes on a screen placed behind the slits. This pattern arises because the light waves emanating from the two slits overlap and interfere with each other.

Where the peaks of the waves align, constructive interference occurs, resulting in bright spots; where a peak from one slit aligns with a trough from the other, destructive interference occurs, leading to dark spots. This phenomenon illustrates the wave nature of light, contrasting with particle behavior, which would not produce an interference pattern under similar conditions.

In comparison, other experiments mentioned explore different aspects of light. The Michelson experiment is primarily used for measuring distances and confirming the constancy of the speed of light. The photoelectric experiment demonstrates the particle nature of light by showing how light can eject electrons from a material. The Fresnel experiment also deals with wave behavior but focuses on diffraction rather than the specific interference pattern produced by two coherent sources. Hence, Young’s double-slit experiment stands out as the quintessential experiment illustrating the wave