matter wave

Examples of matter wave in the following topics:

• de Broglie and the Wave Nature of Matter

  • The concept of "matter waves" or "de Broglie waves" reflects the wave-particle duality of matter.
  • In quantum mechanics, the concept of matter waves (or de Broglie waves) reflects the wave-particle duality of matter.
  • De Broglie's hypothesis is that this relationship $\lambda = \frac{h}{p}$, derived for electromagnetic waves, can be adopted to describe matter (e.g. electron, neutron, etc.) as well.
  • Therefore, the presence of any diffraction effects by matter demonstrated the wave-like nature of matter.
  • Just as the photoelectric effect demonstrated the particle nature of light, the Davisson–Germer experiment showed the wave-nature of matter, thus completing the theory of wave-particle duality.

• Wave Nature of Matter Causes Quantization

  • The wave nature of matter is responsible for the quantization of energy levels in bound systems.
  • To consider why wave nature of matter in bound systems leads to quantization, let's consider an example in classical mechanics.
  • The wave nature of matter is responsible for the quantization of energy levels in bound systems.
  • Just like a free string, the matter wave of a free electron can have any wavelength, determined by its momentum.
  • Explain relationship between the wave nature of matter and the quantization of energy levels in bound systems

• Particle-Wave Duality

  • Wave–particle duality postulates that all physical entities exhibit both wave and particle properties.
  • Wave–particle duality postulates that all physical entities exhibit both wave and particle properties.
  • De Broglie's wave (matter wave): In 1924, Louis-Victor de Broglie formulated the de Broglie hypothesis, claiming that all matter, not just light, has a wave-like nature.
  • His hypothesis was soon confirmed with the observation that electrons (matter) also displays diffraction patterns, which is intuitively a wave property, as shown in .
  • The wavelength of the matter wave associated with a baseball, say moving at 95 miles per hour, is extremely small compared to the size of the ball so that wave-like behavior is never noticeable.

• Longitudinal Waves

  • An example of a longitudinal wave is a sound wave.
  • Some longitudinal waves are also called compressional waves or compression waves.
  • Like transverse waves, longitudinal waves do not displace mass.
  • The most common pressure wave is the sound wave.
  • Matter in the medium is periodically displaced by a sound wave, and thus oscillates.

• Transverse Waves

  • Light is an example of a transverse wave.
  • For transverse waves in matter, the displacement of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave.
  • A ripple on a pond and a wave on a string are easily visualized transverse waves.
  • Transverse waves are waves that are oscillating perpendicularly to the direction of propagation.
  • Therefore an electromagnetic wave consists of two transverse waves, visible light being an example of an electromagnetic wave.

• Young's Double Slit Experiment

  • The double-slit experiment, also called Young's experiment, shows that matter and energy can display both wave and particle characteristics.
  • The double-slit experiment, also called Young's experiment, shows that matter and energy can display both wave and particle characteristics.
  • Constructive wave interference occurs when waves interfere with each other crest-to-crest (peak-to-peak) or trough-to-trough (valley-to-valley) and the waves are exactly in phase with each other.
  • This amplifies the resultant wave.
  • The amplitudes of waves add together.

• Interference and Diffraction

  • Interference and diffraction are terms that describe a wave interacting with something that changes its amplitude, such as another wave.
  • In physics, interference is a phenomenon in which two waves superimpose to form a resultant wave of greater or lower amplitude.
  • In chemistry, the applications of interference to light are the most relevant to the study of matter.
  • Diffraction occurs with all waves, including sound waves, water waves, and electromagnetic waves such as visible light, X-rays, and radio waves.
  • As physical objects have wave-like properties (at the atomic level), diffraction also occurs with matter and can be studied according to the principles of quantum mechanics.

• Diffraction

  • Diffraction refers to various phenomena such as the bending of waves around obstacles and the spreading out of waves past small openings.
  • In classical physics, the diffraction phenomenon is described as the apparent bending of waves around small obstacles and the spreading out of waves past small openings.
  • Similar effects occur when a light wave travels through a medium with a varying refractive index, or a sound wave travels through one with varying acoustic impedance.
  • Diffraction occurs with all waves, including sound waves, water waves, and electromagnetic waves such as visible light, X-rays and radio waves.
  • As physical objects have wave-like properties (at the atomic level), diffraction also occurs with matter and can be studied according to the principles of quantum mechanics.

• What is a Standing Wave?

  • Most sound waves, including the musical sounds that actually reach our ears, are not standing waves.
  • Normally, when something makes a wave, the wave travels outward, gradually spreading out and losing strength, like the waves moving away from a pebble dropped into a pond.
  • But what if you could arrange the waves so that reflecting waves, instead of cancelling out the new waves, would reinforce them?
  • Instead, waves would seem to be appearing and disappearing regularly at exactly the same spots, so these trapped waves are called standing waves.
  • Notice that it doesn't matter what the length of the fundamental is; the waves in the second harmonic must be half the length of the first harmonic; that's the only way they'll both "fit".

• Energy Transportation

  • The force you feel from a wave hitting you at the beach is an example of work being done and, thus, energy being transfered by a wave in the direction of the wave's propagation.
  • Energy transportion is essential to waves.
  • It is a common misconception that waves move mass.
  • Electromagnetic waves can be imagined as a self-propagating transverse oscillating wave of electric and magnetic fields .
  • These properties may all be imparted to matter with which it interacts (through work).