TODAY'S PHYSICS OF THE DAY
· #253

Physics: De Broglie hypothesis

Classical MechanicsQuantum MechanicsNuclear & Particle

De Broglie hypothesis

Matter waves are a central part of the theory of quantum mechanics, being half of wave–particle duality.

Commentary

Commentary

Source: Wikipedia
De Broglie hypothesis Matter waves are a central part of the theory of quantum mechanics, being half of wave–particle duality.

Commentary

Source: Internal
Why does De Broglie hypothesis matter? This principle is one of the building blocks physicists use to explain the world. Without it, a whole class of phenomena would have no mathematical description. Engineers, chemists, and astronomers all rely on it. λ = h p . {\displaystyle \lambda ={\frac {h}{p}}.}

Commentary

Source: Wikipedia
Background: De Broglie hypothesis Matter waves are a central part of the theory of quantum mechanics, being half of wave–particle duality. At all scales where measurements have been practical, matter exhibits wave-like behavior. For example, a beam of electrons can be diffracted just like a beam of light or a water wave. The concept that matter behaves like a wave was proposed by French physicist Louis de Broglie () in 1924, and so matter waves are also known as de Broglie waves. The de Broglie wavelength is the wavelength, λ, associated with a particle with momentum p through the Planck constant, h: λ = h p . {\displaystyle \lambda ={\frac {h}{p}}.} Wave-like behavior of matter has been experimentally demonstrated, first for electrons in 1927 (independently by Davisson and Germer and George Thomson) and later for other elementary particles, neutral atoms and molecules. Matter waves have more complex velocity relations than solid objects and they also differ from electromagnetic waves (light). Collective matter waves are used to model phenomena in solid state physics; standing matter waves are used in molecular chemistry. Matter wave concepts are widely used in the study of materials where different wavelength and interaction characteristics of electrons, neutrons, and atoms are leveraged for advanced microscopy and diffraction technologies.