Photons Are 'Wave-like' in What Way Exactly?

Drakkith

Spin, charge, and a few others I'm sure.

That's because a photon also behaves in a "particle-like" manner. If it was only a wave then you wouldn't have "wave-like" being thrown around. Actually if it was only a wave you wouldn't even have a photon at all since it's the quantized interaction of the EM wave.

It's important to understand that the theory that describes photons NEVER says "wave-like". It explains it in perfectly clear mathematical language that is subsequently garbled beyond all recognition when you try to explain it in everyday language. This isn't a problem just with photons, but with many things in science that are very clear when you are working with the theory itself but are almost impossible to adequately describe when you have to reword it for someone who isn't familiar with the theory.

Naty1

sanman posts:
What you really mean is that a photon " is both wave like and particle like'. The most obvious physical property is what you choose to detect it.....Different circumstances tease out one property or the other.

You simply have to read accepted experimental evidence which reveals current understanding.
None is better than the double slit experiment [wave particle duality] and the photoelectric [particle] effect explanations. Wikipedia has the necessary insights regarding each.

These are not necessarily intuitive and arrived at via some suddenly "EUREKA" moment...but are observational, empirical results. It's the way stuff works and that's why quantum mechanic models are the way they are...to mimic what is observed experimentally.