Are the fundamental "things" that make up our Universe particles or waves??

Answer 1

We don't know. It might be strings...

Answer 2

Yes.

Actually they are packets (quanta, particles) of energy waves. They are bundled energy particles. The waves exist only over very short distances (the Plank distance) due to something called constructive/destructive interference.

This simply means that a standing wave (like we have in photons or electrons) is really made up of a lot of waves of different frequencies. And these waves add or subtract from each other so the result is the they have more amplitude in the middle and none outside that Plank distance. This is why photons, for example, seem like particles in some experiments (e.g., photo-electric cell experiments).

To confound the issue even more, the standing waves of each quantum are not the only waves for these packets of energy. The packets themselves take on a wave-like nature when observed as a group (like a beam of photons, aka a light beam). The famous, double slit experiment, that shows wave interference (construction and destruction), is an example of photons looking like waves after passing through the two slits.

So we have two kinds of waves. Waves of the individual quanta and waves of quanta as a coherent group. The group waves are something like the ripples on the surface of a pond, where the water molecules are the quanta making up the group we call water. But to carry the analogy further, the vibration of the water molecules (measured as temperature) is something like the energy waves of the individual quantum.

The pond ripples illustration is not a perfect analogy, but it does give us an idea how the fundamental "things" of the universe can be seen as both particles and waves.

Answer 3

Good question.

However, It seems that particles have both wave-like and particle-like properties. Some phenomona of Light for instants can be explained by the behavior of waves(eg, defraction), and others like the photoelectric effect can be very well described by modelling light as a particle.

Prince Louis De Broglie proposed that all matter has a pilot waves that guide matter in its path. This along with wavefunctions (a number asigned to the probability of finding a particle in that location) can explain the double-slit experiment where electron fired at two slits cause a defraction pattern on a screen behind.

(De Broglie proposed that λ = h/mv where h is plancks constant , λ is the De Broglie wavelength of the particle amd mv is the particles momentum.)

String theory proposes that fundamental particles are actually very small string oscilating at different frequencies. Different frequencies produce different particles such as electron and quarks.

The sum-over-histories (that states that a particle travels every route in space - time to get from A to B and that the amplitude of these paths cancel out to leave one final path, the path we see it take.) helps use understand how particles can be refracted (and more just im not sure on others.)

please correct me if needed.

Answer 4

It's all waves, that sometimes behave as particles. Since matter disappears when it is converted to energy, and the energy contains no particles, waves appear to be logically the base and final state of matter. I consider the particle state a phase of the underlying energy waves.
Just like water can be hard at low temps, but above 0C has no hard constituents.
This is one of those things that still have to be researched and tested empirically. Fascinating subject!

Answer 5

THAT is the question du jour. Based on our observations, every single thing, everywhere, has both particle-like properties and wave-like properties. As to what this implies has been the subject of much debate among physicists for nearly a century.

Answer 6

My awareness of the Universe is that "God did do it" and that on no account interferes with my examine into the writer's machinations, it is the internal workings or quantum physics for any pseudo intellectuals obtainable. existence is a secret to be lived not a concern to be solved, subsequently mysteries are a ingredient of my existence. many stuff i'm unable to additionally be attentive to, as my concepts would not have the flexibility. some issues like non-actual certainty, my concepts CAN conceptualize.i might choose to be attentive to what god did that so enraged you. if god is each and everything, he might desire to be of the dark area too. with out wars there may well be no generals or brave squaddies, no sickness? no docs or widespread surgeons, death and beginning are only 2 factors of same coin,

Answer 7

Immediately after the start of the Big Bang, space expanded incredibly quickly for a very short time. This process, which lasted for the minutest fraction of a second, is called inflation. After that, expansion began to slow down and different kinds of particles including quarks and electrons made their appearance. Just one millionth of a second after the birth of the universe, the quarks had clumped together to form new particles called protons and neutrons. After a hundred seconds or so, some of the protons and nearly all of the neutrons gathered into bunches, consisting of two protons and two neutrons. Eventually, each bunch, or atomic nucleus, captured two electrons to form a helium atom, and each remaining proton captured a single electron to form a hydrogen atom. The first building blocks of matter had been born.

In models of the Big Bang, Big Bang nucleosynthesis predicts that within one to three minutes of the Big Bang almost all atomic material in the universe was created. During this process, nuclei of hydrogen and helium formed abundantly, but almost no elements heavier than lithium. Hydrogen makes up approximately 92% of the atoms in the universe (by number, not mass); helium makes up less than 7%; and all other elements make up less than 1% (see chemical element abundance). However, although nuclei (fully-ionized atoms) were created, neutral atoms themselves could not form in the intense heat.

Big Bang chronology of the atom continues to approximately 379,000 years after the Big Bang when the cosmic temperature had dropped to just 3,000 K. It was then cool enough to allow the nuclei to capture electrons. This process is called recombination, during which the first neutral atoms took form. Once atoms become neutral, they only absorb photons of a discrete absorption spectrum. This allows most of the photons in the universe to travel unimpeded for billions of years. These photons are still detectable today in the cosmic microwave background.

After Big Bang nucleosynthesis, no heavier elements could be created until the formation of the first stars. These stars fused heavier elements through stellar nucleosynthesis during their lives and through supernova nucleosynthesis as they died. The seeding of the interstellar medium by heavy elements eventually allowed the formation of terrestrial planets like the Earth.

Answer 8

Both actually particals are present due to the eruptions that occur in space and among the birth and death of stars. and waves are nothing but the movement of gases. the universe is full of various gases . so the movement of these gases and the reasctions in them causes the wave motion . and as well as the HEAT of the sun and the other bodies. the birth of a star involves extreme pressure and heat and various gases wich need to make the stars. and various bodies emit various radiations of various lengths and various gases. so the universe isnt just particles and waves but many much more to be added along with it.

Answer 9

waves are a train of pulses. waves move particles along a direction to which it moves
example: longitudinal waves: a wave in which particles of a medium move in a direction parallel to the direction along which the waves move. transverse wave: a wave in which particles of the medium movie in a direction normal to the direction along which the wave moves

in my opinion, it's particles that make up our universe. besides, particles make up atoms and molecules. and waves move particles along to which the direction it moves.

i'm not sure of the answer though.

Answer 10

According to physics they are both. Chemist like particles the best.