de Broglie wave

de Broglie wave
a hypothetical wave associated with the motion of a particle of atomic or subatomic size that describes effects such as the diffraction of beams of particles by crystals. Also called matter wave.
[1925-30; named after L.V. DE BROGLIE]

* * *

also called  matter wave  

      any aspect of the behaviour or properties of a material object that varies in time or space in conformity with the mathematical equations that describe waves. By analogy with the wave and particle behaviour of light that had already been established experimentally, the French physicist Louis de Broglie suggested (1924) that particles might have wave properties in addition to particle properties. Three years later the wave nature of electrons was detected experimentally. Objects of everyday experience, however, have a computed wavelength much smaller than that of electrons, so their wave properties have never been detected; familiar objects show only particle behaviour. De Broglie waves play an appreciable role, therefore, only in the realm of subatomic particles (subatomic particle).

      De Broglie waves account for the appearance of subatomic particles at conventionally unexpected sites because their waves penetrate barriers much as sound passes through walls. Thus a heavy atomic nucleus occasionally can eject a piece of itself in a process called alpha decay. The piece of nucleus (alpha particle) has insufficient energy as a particle to overcome the force barrier surrounding the nucleus; but as a wave it can leak through the barrier—that is, it has a finite probability of being found outside the nucleus.

      De Broglie waves around a closed loop, such as would be associated with electrons circling nuclei in atoms, can persist only if the standing waves fit evenly around the loop; otherwise they cancel themselves out. This requirement causes the electrons in atoms to select only particular configurations, or states, among the many that would otherwise be available.

      The response of the wave properties of a particle to an external force follows a basic law of quantum mechanics that, in its mathematical form, is known as the Schrödinger equation.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • de Broglie wave — de Broilio banga statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. associated wave; de Broglie wave; matter wave vok. de Broglie Welle, f; Materiewelle, f rus. волна де Бройля, f; волна материи, f pranc. onde de Broglie, f …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • de Broglie wave length — de Broilio bangos ilgis statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. de Broglie wave length vok. de Brogliesche Wellenlänge, f; de Broglie Wellenlänge, f rus. де бройлевская длина волны, f; длина волны де Бройля, f pranc. longueur d’onde de… …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • de broglie wave — noun Usage: usually capitalized B Etymology: after Prince Louis V. de Broglie b1892 French physicist : the hypothetical wave train that in wave mechanical theory corresponds to a moving elementary particle (as an electron or proton), moves with… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Wave–particle duality — Quantum mechanics Uncertainty principle …   Wikipedia

  • Broglie, Louis-Victor, 7e duc de — ▪ French physicist Introduction in full  Louis Victor Pierre Raymond, 7e duc de Broglie   born Aug. 15, 1892, Dieppe, France died March 19, 1987, Paris  French physicist best known for his research on quantum theory and for his discovery of the… …   Universalium

  • wave — Synonyms and related words: Afro, accost, address, advertise, affect, air, ambages, amplitude, anfractuosity, antinode, barber, be poised, beat, beat the drum, betoken, bicker, billow, blazon forth, bob, bobble, bore, bow, brandish, brandishing,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • wave function — Physics. 1. a solution of a wave equation. 2. (in quantum mechanics) a mathematical function, found by solving a quantum mechanical wave equation, that is used to predict the outcome of measurements on physical systems. * * * Variable quantity… …   Universalium

  • Wave function — Not to be confused with the related concept of the Wave equation Some trajectories of a harmonic oscillator (a ball attached to a spring) in classical mechanics (A B) and quantum mechanics (C H). In quantum mechanics (C H), the ball has a wave… …   Wikipedia

  • Broglie family —    A French family descended from a 17th century Piedmontese noble Francesco maria broglia, who entered the service of France and, in 1643, received the title of count de Broglie. The most important of his descendants, many of whom served France… …   France. A reference guide from Renaissance to the Present

  • wave-particle duality — Principle that subatomic particles possess some wavelike characteristics, and that electromagnetic waves, such as light, possess some particlelike characteristics. In 1905, by demonstrating the photoelectric effect, Albert Einstein showed that… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”