According to the principles of quantum mechanics, light can exhibit properties of both waves and particles, depending on the experimental context. This phenomenon is known as wave-particle duality.
In some experiments, light behaves as a wave, displaying interference and diffraction patterns. This behavior is consistent with the characteristics of waves. On the other hand, in certain experiments, light behaves as a stream of particles, called photons. This is particularly evident in experiments like the photoelectric effect and the Compton effect, where light interacts with matter at the particle level.
Therefore, whether light is considered a wave or a particle depends on the specific experimental setup and the observed phenomena. In general, the wave-particle duality of light is a fundamental concept in quantum physics, and it is often more accurate to describe light as having both wave-like and particle-like properties, rather than exclusively one or the other.