In this activity we will look for proof that photons produced by a laser have all of these properties in common. Electrons are fermions. No two fermions can have the same quantum mechanical state. Photons are bosons, many photons can be in the same state.
Lasers produce a beam of photons all in the same state.
Assembly Mount the laser in the magnetic optical bench holder and point it at the screen. Cover the screen with a piece of paper, use the binder clips to attach the paper to the screen. To Do and Notice Find the expansion of the laser beam as it travels away from the laser. Place the screen a centimeter from the laser, use a pencil to mark the edge of the spot of laser light at this distance. Notice that drawing a boundary around the laser beam becomes more difficult at greater distances as the beam shape becomes more complex.