Final answer:
We can observe the wave properties prominently in subatomic particles due to their smaller mass and size, as described by the de Broglie relationship. The wave-like behavior of larger, macroscopic objects is difficult to detect, aligning with our everyday experiences of matter.
Step-by-step explanation:
Even though all matter exhibits a wave-like quality, we can really only observe the wave properties of particles such as electrons. In physics, this wave-particle duality is described by the de Broglie relationship, which provides a way to calculate a particle's wavelength from its momentum. Matter in larger forms, particularly macroscopic sizes, makes it difficult to observe these wave properties, as the wave nature becomes less evident with increasing mass. According to de Broglie, as the mass of an object increases, its associated wave-like behavior is less easy to detect, which is consistent with our common experience of matter.
Submicroscopic particles in nature, such as nuclei, atoms, and molecules, display both particle and wave properties. However, these wave properties are more difficult to observe as we shift our attention to macroscopic scales, due to the size and mass involved. Therefore, while everything has wave-like characteristics, it is predominantly in the case of subatomic particles that we can practically observe these phenomena.