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Wave-Particle Duality of Light Translation

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18 views3 pages

Wave-Particle Duality of Light Translation

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xuannghi7701
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© © All Rights Reserved
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1.

Wave Properties of Light

Light is not only a wave but also exhibits the properties of particles, forming one
of the foundations of quantum mechanics.

a. The wave nature of light

Interference and Diffraction:


When two or more trains of light waves meet in a region, they interfere to produce
a new wave there whose instantaneous amplitude is the sum of those of the
original waves. Constructive interference refers to the reinforcement of waves with
the same phase to produce a greater amplitude, and destructive interference refers
to the partial or complete cancellation of waves whose phases differ. If the original
waves have different frequencies, the result will be a mixture of constructive and
destructive interference. The positions of bright and dark fringes are determined

d ⋅ sin(θ) = m ⋅ λ
by the formula:

Where:
- d: distance between two slits
- θ: angle of the interference fringe relative to the main axis
- m: order of the interference fringe (integer)
- λ: wavelength of light
This formula describes the phase difference of waves passing through two slits,
creating bright fringes when waves are in phase (constructive interference) and
dark fringes when waves cancel each other out (destructive interference).

Detailed Example: Young’s Double-Slit Experiment

This experiment is a prominent demonstration of the wave nature of light. When


monochromatic light (light with the same frequency) passes through two narrow,
parallel slits, the light from the two slits interferes, creating bright and dark fringes
on a screen behind them. This occurs because the light waves from the two slits
overlap, with bright regions appearing where waves are in phase and dark regions
where they cancel each other out.

b. Refraction and Reflection

When light passes through two media with different densities (e.g., from air to
water), the wave’s propagation speed changes, resulting in refraction, i.e., the
bending of light. Snell's Law of Refraction states:
n1 ⋅ sin(θ1) = n2 ⋅ sin(θ2)
Where:
- n1 and n2: refractive indices of the two media
- θ1 and θ2: angles of incidence and refraction

c. Particle Properties of Light

Despite its wave characteristics, light also exhibits particle-like behavior when
interacting with matter:
Photoelectric Effect:
The photoelectric effect provides convincing evidence that photons of light can
transfer energy to electrons. Is the inverse process also possible? That is, can part
or all of the kinetic energy of a moving electron be converted into a photon? As it
happens, the in-verse photoelectric effect not only does occur but had been
discovered before the work of Planck and Einstein. When light strikes the surface
of a metal, it can eject electrons from that surface, a phenomenon called the
photoelectric effect. This effect can only be explained if light is considered as tiny
particles called photons, each carrying a certain amount of energy proportional to
the frequency of light.

Detailed Example:

In 1895 Willhelm Roentgen found that a highly penetrating radiation of unknown


nature is produced when fast electrons impinge on matter. These x-rays were soon
found to travel in straight lines, to be unaffected by electric and magnetic fields, to
pass to expose photographic plates. The faster the original electrons, the more
pene-trating the resulting x-rays, and the greater the number of electrons, the
greater the in-tensity of the x-ray beam.

In 1912 a method was devised for measuring the wavelengths of w-rays. A dif-
fraction experiment had been recognized as ideal, but as we recall from physical
optics, the spacing between adjacent lines on a diffraction grating must be of the
same order of magnitude as the wavelength of the light for satisfactory results, and
gratings cannot be ruled with the minute spacing required by x-rays. Max von
Laue realized that the wavelengths suggested for x-rays were comparable to the
spacing between adjacent atoms in crystals. He therefore proposed that crystals be
used to diffract x-rays, with their regular lattices acting as a kind of three-
dimensional grating.
Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths from about 0.01 to about 10nm falls
into the category of x-rays. The boundaries if this category are not sharp; the
shorter-wavelength end overlasps gamma rays and the longer-wavelenth end
overlaps ultravi-olet light.

2. Wave-Particle Duality in Matter

Louis de Broglie extended the concept of wave-particle duality to material


particles, such as electrons, protons, and other fundamental particles:
Matter Waves (De Broglie):
De Broglie hypothesized that all material particles have their own wavelength,
calculated by the formula:
λ=h/p
Where:
- λ: de Broglie wavelength
- h: Planck's constant
- p: momentum of the particle

Davisson-Germer Experiment

In this experiment, electrons are directed at a nickel crystal surface, creating


diffraction patterns similar to light, proving the wave nature of electrons. This
result reinforced de Broglie’s theory of wave properties in matter, paving the way
for the study of subatomic particle wave structures.

3. Applications of Wave-Particle Duality in Technology

The wave-particle duality of light and matter is not only theoretical but also
applicable in various modern technologies:
Electron Microscopes:
Electron microscopes exploit the wave nature of electrons to observe extremely
small details. Because the wavelength of electrons is much shorter than visible
light, it allows for much higher resolution, enabling observation of microscopic
structures in materials and biological cells.

Plasma and Plasma Catalysis

In plasma, electrons can move at high speeds and exhibit wave properties,
influencing their interactions with catalyst surfaces, promoting chemical reactions,
and enabling applications in waste gas treatment, clean fuel production, and more
efficient chemical synthesis.

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