Quantum Flashcards
What prediction did classical physics make about the emittance of a body?
an ultraviolet catastrophe
What is a photon?
- a packet or ‘chunk’ of radiation energy - NOT a particle
- a probability wave
Equations for the photoelectric effect?
E{photon} = W + KE = W + eV W = hf where f = threshold frequency at V = 0 KE{max} = eV{o} where V{o} = stopping voltage
What predictions were made of the photoelectric effect?
What observations were made?
Predicted (classical physics) as intensity increases:
- more electrons emitted
- KE of electrons increases, so higher stopping voltage
- no dependence on frequency
- there will be a time delay
Observed as intensity increased:
- more electrons emitted
- no change to stopping voltage > KE did not increase
- no time delay
- dependence on frequency
What is Einstein’s postulate?
energy in the field itself is quantised into amounts hf as if made up of particles – photons
What are two types of X-ray produced and how are they produced?
- Brehmsstrahlung radiation (‘braking’ radiation): electron loses energy when interacting with nuclei, slows down and emits a photon
- Characteristic radiation: incoming electron strikes subshell electron, the subshell electron gains energy, and when it de-excites, releases a photon of characteristic energy
What does a X-ray diagram look like? (incl. axes & labels, cut-off points)
- y-axis: X-ray intensity
- x-axis: wavelength
- brehmsstrahlung curve
- some characteristic peaks
- cut-off point minimum wavelength/maximum photoenergy
What fact and equation did the Compton effect prove?
That photons have momentum, p = h/λ{de broglie}
What was puzzling about the results of the Compton experiment?
At different angles, a second peak appeared: the constant peak was caused by strongly-bound electrons not causing a scattering effect; the second peak caused by a difference in wavelength
What is the equation for the Compton effect?
λ{f} - λ{i} = h/mc * (1 - cosθ), where θ = angle of scattering
When is the Compton effect greatest?
When θ = 180 deg / π rad
What is the de Broglie wavelength?
The natural wavelength of all quantum particles
What experiment confirmed de Broglie’s theory on the wave nature of quantum particles?
Bragg Scattering, showed electron diffraction
What is the equation for the Bragg Scattering? Where does the maximum occur?
2dsinθ = n*λ, maximum at 2d = λ
What is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle?
Position and momentum are ‘incompatible observables’: Δp * Δx > [h bar]/2
The square of the absolute value of the wavefunction is proportional to…
… the probability density of finding a ‘particle’ in a small region around position x.