PHYS 3650 - Modern Physics
Lesson 7 - Waves and Particles

Study Assignment:

Chapter 27, Sections 27.8 - 27.11

Lesson notes:

Based upon faith in the symmetry of nature, Louis de Broglie postulated that if waves have particle-like properties, then particles must have wave-like properties.

Objectives:

1. Be able to state de Broglie's hypothesis, and be able to calculate the de Broglie wavelength of a particle.

2. Understand how the Davisson - Germer experiment provided the first experiment evidence for the wave properties of particles.

3. Understand the concept and meaning of the wave function as proposed by Edwin Schrodinger.

4. Understand and be able to use Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.

5. Understand and be able to state the principle of complimentarity.

Vocabulary:

de Broglie's hypothesis
Davisson - Germer experiment
wave function
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
principle of complimentarity

Homework:

TP 5th Ed.: 27-37, 27-38, 27-41, 27-46, 27-48

TP 6th Ed.: 27-35, 27-36, 27-39, 27-46

Additional resources:

Biographies of

• Louis de Broglie
• Clinton Davisson and
• Werner Heisenberg

Last update: September 08, 2003