Talking about both photons and electrons. Uncertainty principle is about position and momentum, but electron is considered wave?
We have mathematical model of light being EM Waves, what does it being particle even mean?
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A particle will appear to be in a single precise location when we go looking for it, but its possible “locations” when we’re not looking is a field of probabilities that move like a wave. Those probabilities represent how likely you are to find the particle at any given location when you go looking for it again*
This means we can get an idea of where we’re likeliest to find the particle next time we look by calculating how those waves move. They can do some weird stuff that you wouldn’t expect particles to be able to do
There are different competing *interpretations* of what this means: is the wave the actual particle? does the particle exist in between the times we’re looking for it? We can’t really say yet. It’s still an interesting open question
* when I say “look for” a particle, you can’t just continuously watch them move around. You have to do something to them to get a reaction, like wait for them to hit a barrier you’ve set up.
Obligatory excellent PBS Space Time video on the subject: https://youtu.be/p-MNSLsjjdo
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