Understanding the nature of light:
Light has been a subject of scientific investigation for centuries, and its nature has been a topic of debate among scientists. Initially, scientists believed that light behaves solely like a particle, known as the corpuscular theory of light. However, with the advent of experiments and further research, it became evident that light exhibits characteristics of both particles and waves. This understanding led to the development of the wave-particle duality theory, which states that light can behave as both a particle and a wave, depending on the experimental conditions and the phenomenon under study.

Particle-like behavior of light:
When light interacts with matter, it exhibits certain particle-like characteristics. These characteristics include the ability to transfer energy and momentum in discrete amounts called photons. Photons have no mass but possess energy proportional to their frequency, according to the equation E=hf (where E is energy, h is Planck's constant, and f is the frequency of light). This particle-like behavior is observed in phenomena like the photoelectric effect, where light incident on a metal surface causes the emission of electrons.

Wave-like behavior of light:
On the other hand, light also exhibits wave-like characteristics. When light propagates through space, it shows properties such as diffraction, interference, and polarization. Diffraction refers to the bending of light around obstacles or through narrow openings, similar to how waves bend around objects in water. Interference occurs when two or more light waves superpose, either constructively (resulting in bright regions) or destructively (resulting in dark regions), depending on their relative phase. Polarization refers to the alignment of the electric field vectors of light waves, which can be manipulated using filters.

Complementary nature of particle and wave descriptions:
The wave-particle duality theory suggests that light is neither exclusively a particle nor a wave, but a combination of both. The particle and wave approaches are complementary and help us understand different phenomena associated with light. For instance, the particle nature of light explains phenomena like the photoelectric effect and the emission and absorption of photons, while the wave nature of light explains phenomena like interference and diffraction.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, light is best described as exhibiting both particle-like and wave-like behavior. The particle and wave approaches are essential in understanding different aspects of light and its interaction with matter. While the particle behavior explains discrete energy transfer and certain phenomena, the wave behavior explains properties such as diffraction, interference, and polarization. Therefore, option 'A' is the correct answer as it acknowledges the complementary nature of the particle and wave descriptions of light.