complementarity principle

American  

noun

Physics.

1. the principle that experiments on physical systems of atomic size or smaller, as electrons or photons, can exhibit either particle or wave behavior but not both simultaneously.

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Example Sentences

Almost simultaneously Erwin Schrödinger proposed his psi function, which describes the probability that a particle will be found in a given location in terms of a wave, which in turn led Bohr to formulate his complementarity principle: An object can be a wave or a particle depending on how it is measured.

From New York Times

Last week, Uganda's Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary said the ICC and Uganda government would discuss the ICC's "Complementarity Principle," which he said gives states first responsibility and right to prosecute international crimes like those allegedly committed by Ongwen.

From US News

As a theoretical physicist, I can’t help but recognize in this important seasonal matter a parallel with quantum mechanics – specifically, with something called the complementarity principle.

From US News