Photon Wavelength: Particle or Wave?

[L4xord]

I understand that electromagnetic radiation is a photon. But one thing that is continuing to bug me is the question how does a photon, which is defined as a particle not a wave, have a wavelength? Do photons travel as packets in some sort of a compression type wave similar to sound?

 

[tom.stoer]

According to modern quantum field theory the photon is neither a particle nor a wave.

But there a situations (experiments) where we observe photons with a behavior as if they were particles. And there are (other) situations were we observe photons with a behavior as if they were waves.

Both behaviors are mutually exclusive, so the common term wave-particle-duality and the explanation that they are both is missleading. They a neither.

 

[L4xord]

According to modern quantum field theory the photon is neither a particle nor a wave.

But there a situations (experiments) where we observe photons with a behavior as if they were particles. And there are (other) situations were we observe photons with a behavior as if they were waves.

Both behaviors are mutually exclusive, so the common term wave-particle-duality and the explanation that they are both is missleading. They a neither.

I think I've heard of this. Is this classification of an object displaying qualities of both a particle and a wave (such as a photon) a 'quantum'? Like a bundle of energy.

 

[tom.stoer]

Yes, it's 'quantum'. But be carefulk: wave-like and particle-like are mutually exclusive and cannot be observed at the same time.