Corpuscular Theory (Noun)
Meaning
(physics) the theory that light is transmitted as a stream of particles.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The corpuscular theory of light was widely accepted in the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly through the work of Sir Isaac Newton.
- Newton's corpuscular theory proposed that light is composed of tiny particles called corpuscles that travel in straight lines.
- The corpuscular theory was later challenged by the wave theory of light, which suggested that light is transmitted as a wave rather than a stream of particles.
- Although the corpuscular theory was eventually disproven, it laid the groundwork for later theories of light, including quantum mechanics.
- The corpuscular theory of light was influential in the development of classical mechanics and optics, and its legacy can still be seen in modern physics.