In the context of fundamental physics, the concept of waves and particles arises from our attempts to understand and describe the behavior of matter and energy. It is not accurate to say that one comes before the other in nature because they are different aspects or descriptions of the same underlying physical reality.
Wave-particle duality, which is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics, suggests that particles can exhibit wave-like behavior under certain circumstances. For example, experiments such as the double-slit experiment show that particles like electrons or photons can display interference patterns similar to those of waves.
On the other hand, waves can also be understood as collections or ensembles of particles. For instance, in the field of quantum field theory, particles are described as excitations of underlying quantum fields, and these fields can exhibit wave-like behavior.
Therefore, it's more accurate to view waves and particles as complementary aspects of the behavior of matter and energy, rather than one coming before the other. They are both fundamental aspects of nature that we use to describe and understand different phenomena.