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matter wave

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25 views1 page

matter wave

Uploaded by

superpooh
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hl m ws

WaveParticle duality o it as a wave and sometimes it helps to think o it as a particle,


The photoelectric eect o light waves clearly demonstrates that but neither model is complete. Light is just light. This dual
light can behave like particles, but its wave nature can also be nature o light is called waveparticle duality.
demonstrated  it refects, reracts, diracts and intereres just 2. If light waves can show particle properties, can particles such as
like all waves. So what exactly is it? It seems reasonable to ask electrons show wave properties?
two questions. Again the correct answer is yes. Most people imagine moving
1. Is light a wave or is it a particle? electrons as little particles having a denite size, shape, position
The correct answer to this question is yes! At the most and speed. This model does not explain why electrons can be
undamental and even philosophical level, light is just light. diracted through small gaps. In order to diract they must
Physics tries to understand and explain what it is. We do this by have a wave nature. Once again they have a dual nature. See
imagining models o its behaviour. Sometimes it helps to think the experiment below.

de Broglie hyPotheSiS 1. At very high energies: pc = E


I matter can have wave properties and waves can have matter In these situations, the rest energy o the particles can be
properties, there should be a link between the two models. The negligible compared with their energy o motion.
de Broglie hypothesis is that all moving particles have a matter
For example, the rest energy o an electron (0.51 1 MeV) is
wave associated with them. This matter wave can be thought o
negligible i it has been accelerated through an eective potential
as a probability unction associated with the moving particle. The
dierence o 420 MV to have kinetic energy o 420 MeV. In
(amplitude) 2 o the wave at any given point is a measure o the
these circumstances the total energy o an electron is eectively
probability o nding the particle at that point. The wavelength o
420 MeV. The de Broglie wavelength o 420 MeV electrons is:
this matter wave is given by the de Broglie equation:
6.6  1 0 - 3 4  3.0  1 0 8 = 2.9  1 0 - 1 5 m
 = ___
hc _
 = _ hc 420  1 0 6  1 .6  1 0 - 1 9
pc = E or photons
2. At low energies
 is the wavelength in m
In these situations the relationship can be restated in terms o
h is Planks constant = 6.63  1 0 - 3 4 J s
the momentum p o the particle measured in kg m s - 1 (in non-
c is the speed o light = 3.0  1 0 8 m s - 1 relativistic mechanics, P = mass  velocity) :
p is the momentum o the particle h
=_
p
The higher the energy, the lower the de Broglie wavelength. This
equation was introduced on page 69 as the method o calculating For example, electrons accelerated through 1 kV would gain a KE
a photons wavelength rom its energy, E. In order or the wave o 1 .6  10 - 1 6 J. Since KE and non-relativistic momentum are
2
p
nature o particles to be observable in experiments, the particles related by EK = ___ 2m
, this gives p = 1 .7  1 0 - 2 3 kg m s - 1
oten have very high velocities. In these situations the proper
6.6  1 0 - 3 4 = 3.9  1 0 - 1 1 m
 = __
calculations are relativistic but simplications are possible.
1 .7  1 0 - 2 3

electron diffraction exPeriment daviSSon and germer exPeriment (1927)


In order to show diraction, an electron wave must travel The diagram below shows the principle behind the Davisson
through a gap o the same order as its wavelength. The atomic and Germer electron diraction experiment.
spacing in crystal atoms provides such gaps. I a beam o
electrons impinges upon powdered carbon then the electrons
will be diracted according to the wavelength. lament
accelerating p.d. movable
~1000 V screen electron
detector
 +

~ electron
beam 
scattered electrons
heater powdered
vacuum Target
graphite
The circles correspond to the angles where constructive
intererence takes place. They are circles because the powdered
carbon provides every possible orientation o gap. A higher
accelerating potential or the electrons would result in a higher A beam o electrons strikes a target nickel crystal. The electrons
momentum or each electron. According to the de Broglie are scattered rom the surace. The intensity o these scattered
relationship, the wavelength o the electrons would thus decrease. electrons depends on the speed o the electrons (as determined
This would mean that the size o the gaps is now proportionally by their accelerating potential dierence) and the angle.
bigger than the wavelength so there would be less diraction. The A maximum scattered intensity was recorded at an angle
circles would move in to smaller angles. The predicted angles o that quantitatively agrees with the constructive intererence
constructive intererence are accurately veried experimentally. condition rom adjacent atoms on the surace.

122 Q u a n t u m a n d n u c l e a r p h ys i c s

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