Chapter 5: Wave-Particle Duality
Waves and particles each have unique properties, often properties that are mutually exclusive. But light, classically considered a wave, sometimes behaves like a particle (which we call a photon) and the electron, classically described as a particle, sometimes behaves like a wave. This chapter explores the evidence for wave-particle duality of light and electrons (as well as all other particles), the implications, and possible ways of understanding this duality. In the process, we also introduce and begin to explore the uncertainty principle: the position and the momentum of a particle cannot both be known precisely at the same time.
Table of Contents
Sections
- Section 5.1: Wave and Particle Properties.
- Section 5.2: Light as a Particle: Photoelectric and Compton Effects.
- Section 5.3: Exploring the Properties of Waves.
- Section 5.4: Wave Diffraction and Interference.
- Section 5.5: The Electron Double-Slit Experiment.
- Section 5.6: Double-Slit Experiment and Wave-Particle Duality.
- Section 5.7: Exploring the Davisson-Germer Experiment.
- Section 5.8: Diffraction and Uncertainty.
- Section 5.9: Phase and Group Velocity.
- Section 5.10: Exploring the Uncertainty Principle.
- Section 5.11: Exploring the Dispersion of Classical Waves.
Problems
- Problem 5.1: Photoelectric effect: vary the incident light.
- Problem 5.2: Photoelectric effect experiment: vary incident light and retarding voltage.
- Problem 5.3: Compton Effect.
- Problem 5.4: Properties of a traveling wave.
- Problem 5.5: Properties of standing wave.
- Problem 5.6: Find the wavelength of the source.
- Problem 5.7: Electron diffraction.
- Problem 5.8: Davisson-Germer diffraction of electron off unknown material.
- Problem 5.9: Uncertainty principle and double slit.
- Problem 5.10: What is the de Broglie wavelength of the tennis ball?
- Problem 5.11: Phase and group velocity.
