DeBroglie: Wave Characteristics of Matter

Key Questions

• What are de Broglie waves?

  Answer:

  Louis de Broglie extended the notion of wave motion from light to other particles, such as electrons. It is possible to calculate a de Broglie wavelength for anything, including an elephant!

  Explanation:

  The formula is #lambda = h/p# where #h# is Planck's constant, #6.63xx10^-34# #m^2kgs^-1#, and #p# is the momentum (#p=mv#, mass times velocity).

  If you do the calculation, you will find out that the de Broglie wavelength for big objects like an elephant or a tennis ball is immeasurably tiny. It is only for very tiny objects like electrons that the concept really has much significance.

  David G. · 2 · Mar 28 2016

• What is the de Broglie equation?
• Question #ada60
• Question #d42ce
• What is wave-particle duality?
• What are some examples of wave-particle duality?
• What is the wave particle duality of light?
• How does the term wave-particle duality of light relate to electromagnetic waves?
• How does wave particle duality work?
• What is a matter (de Broglie) wave?
• How did DeBroglie's hypothesis account for the fact that the energy in a hydrogen atom is quantised?
• What properties of light that can best be explained by the wave theory. What other properties can be explained by the particle theory?
• What are de Broglie waves?
• Are matter waves the same as de Broglie waves?
• What do the Broglie equations relate?
• What is the wave particle duality of electrons?
• What else do I need to know to calculate the de Broglie wavelength of an electron moving at 80% the speed of light?
• Why does wave-particle duality exist?
• Why is wave particle duality important?
• What is the de Broglie wavelength of a ball with a mass of 0.20 kg when it strikes the ground after it has been dropped from a building that's 50 m tall?
• What experimental evidence supports de Broglie's idea that electrons have wave like properties?
• Why does light has wave particle duality?
• What observation confirmed de broglie's theory of matter waves?
• How fast does a proton have to be moving is order to have the same de Broglie wavelength as an electron that is moving at 3.90 × 10⁶ m/s?
• How are frequency and energy of a wave related?
• How long are infrared waves compared with waves of visible light?
• An electron has a speed of #8.4 * 10^5# #m# #s^-1#. What is the de Broglie wavelength of this electron?
• What is the de Broglie wavelength of an electron traveling at #2.0 * 10^8 m##/s#?
• What is the speed of a 50 g rock if its de Broglie wavelength is #3.32*10^-34# m?
• Question #628c5
• Question #6ec4f
• A certain rifle bullet has a mass of 9.57 g. What is the de Broglie wavelength of the bullet traveling at 140 miles per hour?
• The prediction that electrons should exhibit wavelike properties was supported by what evidence?
• The de Broglie wavelength of a neutron is 144 pm. What is its velocity ?
• Question #c1b56
• Question #f4c65
• Question #f4c7c
• Question #663b0
• Question #88966
• What is a possible wavelength that is longer than infrared radiation, and another one that is shorter than infrared radiation?
• Question #189a2
• Question #d5082
• Question #81c98
• Question #b44a1
• Question #3da69
• Question #ef3ef
• Question #0540f
• Question #94aa0
• What is the de Broglie wavelength for a #"0.01 kg"# particle moving at #"10 m/s"#"?
• Question #459d4
• Question #43dbd
• What is the de Broglie wavelength of an electron in the ground state of a hydrogen atom?
• Question #e8623
• If #6000# angstrom light is shined onto a metal work a certain work function, what is the wavelength in #"m"# of the fastest photoelectron that can be emitted?
• An electron in a hydrogen atom in its ground state absorbs twice of its ionization energy what is the wavelength of the emitted electron?
• Q.1. What is the De-Broglie wavelength of He atom in a container at room temperature? Use #u_(avg) = sqrt((8k_BT)/(pi m))#
• Question #a20e7
• Question #20441
• If the energy of an X-ray photon is #"100 keV"#, then if its wavelength matches that of the ejected core electron, what should be the kinetic energy of that electron?
• Question #ee4ab
• What is the de Broglie wavelength for an electron that travels at #90%# the speed of light?
• Question #5669f
• Compare the de Broglie wavelengths for a proton, golf ball, and alpha particle, if these have speeds of #5.81 xx 10^6 "m/s"#, #"31.3 m/s"#, and #1.52 xx 10^7 "m/s"#, respectively? Which one is a classical particle?
• A certain sports utility vehicle is traveling at a speed of #"57 mph"#. If its mass is #"5400 lbs"#, what is its de Broglie wavelength?
• What is the speed of an electron with a wavelength of #"0.1 nm"#? If this electron were brought up to this speed from rest, what potential difference was needed?
• What is the de Broglie wavelength of an electron that has been accelerated through a potential of #"10 V"#?
• In an electron microscope, electrons are accelerated to great velocities. What is the wavelength of an electron traveling with a velocity of #7.0 *10^3# #"km/s"# ? The mass of an electron is #9.1*10^(-28)# #"g"#.
• Question #28c8a
• Question #fe328