Modern Physics

SP19-BCS-A

28th February, 2020

Dr. Shahzada Qamar Hussain

Department of Physics
 Crystal Diffraction of X Rays

A device for observing the interference of light waves is the diffraction grating, in
which the wave fronts pass through a barrier that has many slits (often thousands or
tens of thousands) and then recombine.

Bragg’s Law

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Problems on Photoelectric Effect

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Problems on Photoelectric Effect

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Problems on Compton Effect

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Problems on Black body

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 Problems on Wave-particle duality
In a research laboratory, electrons are accelerated to speed of 6.0  106 m/s. Nearby, a 1.0  10-9
kg speck of dust falls through the air at a speed of 0.020m/s. Calculate the de Broglie
wavelength in both case

SOLUTION
 For the electron:

h h 6.625  10 34 J .s
  
p mv 9.11 10 31 kg  6.0 106 m / s
  1.2 10 10 m
 For the dust speck:
h h 6.625  10 34 J .s
d    9
pd mvd 1. 0  10 kg  6.0  0.020m / s
d  3.3 1023 m
DISCUSSION: The de Broglie wavelength of the dust speck is so small that we do not
observe its wavelike behavior
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 Problems on Wave-particle duality
An electron microscope uses 40-keV electrons. Find the wavelength of this
electron.
SOLUTION
The velocity of this electron:

v  2K / m
2  40  103  1.6  1019
v  1.2  108 m / s
9.1  1031
The wavelength of this electron:
h

mv
6.63  1034 10 o
 31 8  6.1  10 m  6.1 A
9.1  10  1.2  10

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The Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle
• In the example of a free particle, we see that if its momentum is
completely specified, then its position is completely unspecified

• When the momentum p is completely specified we write:

p  0 (because: p  p1  p2  0)
and when the position x is completely unspecified we write:

x  
• In general, we always have: x p  a constant
This constant is known as:
h
(called h-bar) 
2

h is the Planck’s constant

(h  6.625  1034 J .s )
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So we can write: x  p  
That is the Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle

“ it is impossible to know simultaneously and with exactness

both the position and the momentum of the fundamental particles”

N.B.: • We also have for the particle moving in three dimensions

x  p x   y  p y   z  p z  
• With the definition of the constant :
p  h /   hK / 2 p  K

• Uncertainty for energy :

E  t  

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Problems on Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle
An electron is moving along x axis with the speed of 2×106 m/s (known with a precision of
0.50%).
What is the minimum uncertainty with which we can simultaneously measure the position of
the electron along the x axis? Given the mass of an electron 9.1×10-31 kg

SOLUTION

From the uncertainty principle: x  p  

if we want to have the minimum uncertainty: x  p  
We evaluate the momentum: p  mv  (9.1 1031 )  (2.05  106 )
p  9.35  1027 kg.m / s
The uncertainty of the momentum is:
p  0.5% p  0.5 / 100  1.87  1024  9.35  1027 kg.m / s
 6.635  1034 / 2 8
 x 
p
  27
 1 .13  10 m  11nm
9.35  10
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In an experiment, an electron is determined to be within 0.1mm of a particular
point. If we try to measure the electron’s velocity, what will be the minimum
uncertainty?
SOLUTION

p 
v  
m mx
6.63  1034 J .s
v 
9.1 1031 kg  1.0  10 4 m  2
 v  1. 2 m / s
Observation:
We can predict the velocity of the electron to within 1.2m/s.
Locating the electron at one position affects our ability to know
where it will be at later times

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A grain of sand with the mass of 1.00 mg appears to be at rest on a smooth
surface. We locate its position to within 0.01mm. What velocity limit is implied by
our measurement of its position?

SOLUTION

p 
v  
m mx
6.63  1034 J .s
v 
1  106 kg  1.0  105 m  2
v  1.1  1023 m / s
Observation:
The uncertainty of velocity of the grain is so small that we do not
observe it: The grain of sand may still be considered at rest, as our
experience says it should

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An electron is confined within a region of width 1.010- 10 m. (a) Estimate the
minimum uncertainty in the x-component of the electron's momentum.
(b) If the electron has momentum with magnitude equal to the uncertainty found
in part (a), what is its kinetic energy? Express the result in jou1es and in electron
volts.

SOLUTION
(a)

(b)

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A sodium atom is in one of the states labeled ''Lowest excited levels". It remains in that
state for an average time of 1.610-8 s before it makes a transition back to a ground state,
emitting a photon with wavelength 589.0 nm and energy 2.105 eV. What is the uncertainty
in energy of that excited state?
What is the wavelength spread of the corresponding spectrum line?

SOLUTION

The fractional uncertainty of the photon energy is

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 HOME ASSIGNMENT
Q.1

Q.2

A photon of the green light has a wavelength of 740 nm. Calculate a. the
Q.3 photon’s frequency, b. the photon’s energy in joule and electron-volt. (Given
the speed of light in the vacuum, c =3.00 x108 m s-1 and Planck’s constant, h
=6.63x10-34 J s)
For a gamma radiation of wavelength 4.62x10-12 m propagates in the air,
calculate the energy of a photon for gamma radiation in electron-volt. (Given
Q.4 the speed of light in the vacuum, c =3.00x108 m s -1 and Planck’s constant, h
=6.63x10-34 J s)

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