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So for example in the double slit experiment, you can see the interference pattern on they screen of where the photons hit it. That makes sense to me. What doesn’t is that since in this simulation, if you go to the slits and double slit, you can see the waves propagate. If you put a screen anywhere (vertical), you will get the interference pattern.

What I don’t get is that since the wave is propagating, so do the troughs. So, as time goes on, where there used to be peaks, there are now troughs. So wouldn’t the pattern constantly be flickering?

Since it doesn’t, I assume the electromagnetic wave doesn’t matter in that sense. Since the pattern is formed because of amplitude, it would make sense.

Overall, when would the current “position” of the wave matter, and in what circumstances?

Qmechanic
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  • Photons build up the classical electromagnetic wave with its peaks and troughs. The are not an electromagnetic wave, the way that bricks build up a building see t but are not a building. see this classroom experiment single photon at a time https://www.sps.ch/artikel/progresses/wave-particle-duality-of-light-for-the-classroom-13/ . maybe my answer here helps https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/718139/ – anna v Nov 18 '22 at 05:01
  • Just to clarify, about the simulation: where you see peaks and troughs, thats where it is bright (because there is a wave) and where there isn't, its dark. When you use the double slit simulation, you can clearly see the diagonals which do not oscillate: those are your dark spots in a double slit experiment. You need to understand that when we see light, we do not see its oscillation (i.e. the electric field) but its intensity, which is proportional to $\left|E\right|^2$ ($E$ is a complex vector). – José Andrade Nov 18 '22 at 18:34
  • Or in a water tank, the diagonals with no oscillation means there is no wave. Imagine I prepare a wave tank and I let you only look to a small location. If I let you see one of the parts that oscillates, you will agree that there is a wave there, however, if I would only let you see along the diagonal where there is no oscillation, you would just say "this tank has no waves", which is the same as saying "its dark" – José Andrade Nov 18 '22 at 18:38

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