• Question: If we say electrons and photons have characteristics of both a particle and a wave, surely they are neither and actually another something...?

    Asked by misteraddy to Ben, Jony, Katharine, Mark on 23 Nov 2011.
    • Photo: Ben Still

      Ben Still answered on 23 Nov 2011:

      They could be strings, vibrating at different frequencies – as suggested by string theory – who knows. Right now the theory of quantum mechanics, best theory we have proven to reflect Nature, states that all particles are wave like until they interact and when they do they automatically act like particles. I guess it is not that they are both just that we can only see them as particles but from they different situations we see the particles in we know they have to act like waves when we are not looking at them.

    • Photo: Jony Hudson

      Jony Hudson answered on 23 Nov 2011:

      I agree with you exactly! They aren’t particles or waves, they are electrons (or photons). See my answer here:

      /subatomicn11-zone/2011/11/is-light-considered-more-of-a-particle-or-more-of-a-wave

    • Photo: Mark Basham

      Mark Basham answered on 23 Nov 2011:

      hi misteraddy,

      Remember that the main thing with most of Physics is that its just models and theories to help us describe the world and make predictions of what will happen. So we pick and choose the model that fits the best, For Photons this is a bit annoying as they change the way they work, but its predictable how they react, its just it combines 2 principles which we normally consider separate.

      Hope this helps

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