In physics, the wave-particle duality is a fundamental concept that describes the behavior of objects at the quantum level. It suggests that particles, such as electrons and photons, can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties depending on how they are observed or measured.
According to quantum mechanics, particles can exhibit wave-like properties, such as interference and diffraction, as well as particle-like properties, such as localized position and momentum. However, it is important to note that the wave-particle duality does not mean that particles are waves or that waves are particles. Instead, it highlights the dual nature of matter and energy.
The behavior of particles is often described by wave functions, which are mathematical descriptions that assign probabilities to different outcomes of measurements. When a particle is measured, its wave function "collapses" to a specific value corresponding to the observed outcome, either as a particle or a wave, depending on the measurement context.
Therefore, it is not a matter of proving that a particle is solely a wave or that a wave is solely a particle. Rather, the wave-particle duality is a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics that describes the behavior of objects at the microscopic level, where both particle-like and wave-like characteristics can be observed.