What is the statement of the De Broglie hypothesis?
1 Answer
The De Broglie hypothesis, proposed by the French physicist Louis de Broglie in 1924, states that **every particle of matter** (such as an electron, proton, etc.) **exhibits wave-like behavior**. Specifically, it suggests that particles have an associated wavelength, known as the **de Broglie wavelength**, which is inversely proportional to their momentum.
The statement of the De Broglie hypothesis can be expressed mathematically as:
\[
\lambda = \frac{h}{p}
\]
where:
- \( \lambda \) is the de Broglie wavelength,
- \( h \) is **Planck's constant** (\(6.626 \times 10^{-34} \, \text{J}\cdot\text{s}\)),
- \( p \) is the **momentum** of the particle, which is the product of its mass \(m\) and velocity \(v\) (\( p = mv \)).
This concept revolutionized the understanding of the behavior of particles, as it introduced the idea that particles, traditionally thought of as localized entities, also exhibit wave-like characteristics, such as interference and diffraction. This wave-particle duality became a cornerstone of **quantum mechanics**.
For example, in the case of an electron, the de Broglie wavelength explains phenomena like electron diffraction patterns, observed when electrons are passed through crystal lattices, much like light waves would behave in such conditions.
The statement of the De Broglie hypothesis can be expressed mathematically as:
\[
\lambda = \frac{h}{p}
\]
where:
- \( \lambda \) is the de Broglie wavelength,
- \( h \) is **Planck's constant** (\(6.626 \times 10^{-34} \, \text{J}\cdot\text{s}\)),
- \( p \) is the **momentum** of the particle, which is the product of its mass \(m\) and velocity \(v\) (\( p = mv \)).
This concept revolutionized the understanding of the behavior of particles, as it introduced the idea that particles, traditionally thought of as localized entities, also exhibit wave-like characteristics, such as interference and diffraction. This wave-particle duality became a cornerstone of **quantum mechanics**.
For example, in the case of an electron, the de Broglie wavelength explains phenomena like electron diffraction patterns, observed when electrons are passed through crystal lattices, much like light waves would behave in such conditions.