Wave-Particle Duality

Dr. KINSHUK BANERJEE

Dept. Of Chemistry,
A. J. C. BOSE COLLEGE,
KOLKATA 20, INDIA
●
Phenomena like photoelectric effect, Compton effect demonstrate that light
(electromagnetic radiation) can also behave as a bunch of particles or photons.
●
Louis de Broglie suggested that, to complement this feature, matter may also have
dual nature, i.e., can exhibit wave-like property depnding on the situation.
●
The energy of a photon of electromagnetic radiation (light) with frequency ν
2
(wavelength, λ ) is E=mc =h ν=hc /λ .
●
Then, momentum of a photon of electromagnetic radiation (light) is given as
p=mc=h/ λ
●
de Broglie proposed that a particle also has a wavelength associated with it given
by the same relation as above λ=h/ p .
●
The de Broglie hypothesis was later verified by Davisson and Germer who
experimentally showed that electrons (particle) can give rise to diffraction (a wave-
like character).
●
Wave-particle duality is applicable to all matter, either microscopic or macroscopic;
however, for macroscopic bodies, the wavelength is too small to have any physical
significance. Thus, we need not bother about the wave-like character of them.
●
Calculate the wavelength associated with an electron moving with a velocity of
108 cm.s-1 .
(6.626×10−27 erg . s) −8
From de Broglie’s hypothesis λ=h/mv = −28 8 −1
=7.3×10 cm .
(9.1×10 g)(10 cm . s )
Although the value of the wavelength is small, it is quite significant in sub-atomic
dimensions. Thus, wave-like character of electron can not be neglected.
●
Calculate the wavelength associated with a ball of mass 40 g moving with a
velocity of 30 m.s-1 .
Using the same relation as above, λ∼10−33 m . (Do the calculation)
This is too small a value to have any practical meaning. Thus, a macroscopic body
such as the ball do not show any wave-like character.
When the de Broglie wavelength associated with
a partcile has a significant value relative to the
dimensions of its environment, we may require
Quantum Mechanics to explain its motion.

In the opposite case, i.e., when the wavelength is

too small to have any physical significance,
Classical Mechanics is sufficient