Matter Waves

Question 1

Wave-particle duality
What phenomena does wave nature explain
What phenomena does particle nature explain

Answer 1

Some phenomena could only be explained with wave theory and some with corpuscular theory

Wave nature: interference, diffraction, polarisation
Particle nature: Compton effect, photoelectric effect

Question 2

Photon picture of radiation

Answer 2

1. Rest mass of the photon is zero. All photons have energy (hv), kinetic mass (hv/c^2), momentum (hv/c) and speed
2. All radiation photons of a particular frequency have the same kinetic mass, same energy, same momentum, whatever be the intensity of radiation

Question 3

de-Broglie hypothesis

Answer 3

de-Broglie proposed that if radiation has a dual nature (wave-particle), the moving particles of matter (electrons, protons, etc.) should also exhibit wave like nature

this is because nature loves symmetry so matter and radiation must have symmetrical character

Question 4

how can you say that waves can be associated with ‘moving’ material particles only

Answer 4

according to the relation λ = h/mv

(mv = p)
so if v = 0, λ= infinite

Question 5

Why arent matter waves electromagnetic in nature

Answer 5

The de-Broglie wavelength does not depend upon whether the moving particle is charged or uncharged.
It means that matter waves are not electromagnetic in nature because they are produced by charged particles only

Question 6

de-Broglie wavelength of electron

Answer 6

λ = 1.227nm/sqrt V

v-volt