Question

What is the difference between a particle and wave?

Answer 1

Hint: In order to solve this question we need to understand duality of light. Light is of dual nature at very first when Huygens discover interference experiment and young double slit confirm light is considered to be wave as it involves superposition principle but later Einstein explain the photoelectric phenomena using light to be considered as a collection of particles knows as photons and later in Compton scattering particle nature of light dominates so light is considered of dual nature and from there particle and wave concept prevails.

Complete answer:
Difference between particle and wave:
-Particles are considered to be some matter lumped together and they move as a unity whereas waves are considered as disturbance means for a longitudinal wave propagation atoms vibrate about their mean position and thereby creating a disturbance in the medium.

-Particle never shows interference effects as stated it is matter lumped together have a mass so it cannot be broken and unite again, either it moves as a one or not moves whereas waves shows interference effects and diffraction effect because waves broken and unite either constructively (crest added to crest and trough to trough) or destructively (crest to trough).

-Particle energy is calculated from mass and velocity whereas wave energy is calculated from wavelength and velocity.

Note: It should be remembered that although waves and particles are different, de broglie unites them by suggesting every particle has a wave associated with it known as matter waves. These waves prevail at quantum level but at classical level these waves do not interact with each other and that is the reason why at quantum level entangled particles are found but not at classical level.