The question of whether something is a wave or a particle is related to the concept of wave-particle duality, which is a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics. According to this principle, particles such as electrons and photons can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties depending on the experimental setup and observation.
In everyday physics, we often encounter macroscopic objects that behave classically and are well-described by classical mechanics. In this realm, objects are generally considered to be particles with well-defined positions and velocities. However, at the quantum level, the behavior of particles is governed by wave functions, which describe the probability distribution of finding a particle in a particular state.
The wave-particle duality is not easily explained with everyday physics because it arises from the principles of quantum mechanics, which have no direct classical analog. In the quantum realm, particles can exhibit wave-like behavior through phenomena such as interference and diffraction. For example, in the famous double-slit experiment, when individual particles are fired at a barrier with two slits, they create an interference pattern on a screen, suggesting wave-like behavior.
On the other hand, particles also exhibit particle-like behavior. For instance, when particles are detected, they are observed at specific locations as discrete entities. This dual nature of particles can be challenging to grasp intuitively, as it defies our classical notions of how objects should behave.
Wave-particle duality is a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics and requires a mathematical framework to fully understand and describe it. While analogies and visualizations can be used to provide some conceptual understanding, the complete explanation of wave-particle duality lies within the realm of quantum mechanics, which involves complex mathematical formalisms and experimental observations.