Wave Particle Duality
Light can exhibit both kind of nature of waves and particles so the light shows wave-particle
dual nature.
In some cases, like interference, diffraction and polarization it behaves as wave while in other
cases like photoelectric and Compton effect it behaves as particles (photon).
According to the name of the discoverer this wave is known as de Broglie’s waves and the
wavelength of this wave is called de Broglie’s wavelength.
Explanation: According to Planck’s quantum theory, energy of a photon is
E= hυ ....... ........ ....... ( 1)
Here h= Planck’s constant, υ =frequency of the photon.
If the mass of a photon is m, then according to Einstein’s mass-energy relation,
E = mc2 ....... ........ ....... (2)
Here c=velocity of light. It is to be mentioned that photon moves with the velocity of
light.
... From equations (1) and (2) we get,
E = mc2 = hυ
... m=
hυ
C2
Suppose the momentum of photon =P
... P = mass of a photon x velocity of the photon
hυ
= mc = xc
C2
hυ
= C ....... ........ ....... (3)
Again, c = λυ ....... ........ ....... (4)
C
or, λ= υ ....... ........ ....... (5)
... From equations (3) and (4) we get,
hυ hυ h
P= C = λυ = λ
h
or, λ= P
In this equation dual properties of radiation have been expressed i.e., a relation has been
established between the particle property of momentum and wave property of
wavelength.
Now according to de Broglie’s hypothesis, if small particle like electron is considered as
photon particle, then its wavelength like photon will be,
h h
λ= P = ....... ........ ....... (6)
mv
here, m=mass of the particle,
v=velocity of the particle
and mv= momentum of the particle.
This is the famous de Broglie’s equation. The wave property of particles of matter has
been expressed by it.
Wave function:
Wave function, in quantum mechanics, variable quantity that mathematically
describes the wave characteristics of a particle. The value of the wave function of a
particle at a given point of space and time is related to the likelihood of the particle’s
being there at the time. By analogy with waves such as those of sound, a wave
function, designated by the Greek letter psi, Ψ, may be thought of as an expression
for the amplitude of the particle wave (or de Broglie wave), although for such waves
amplitude has no physical significance. The square of the wave function, |Ψ|2,
however, does have physical significance: the probability of finding the particle
described by a specific wave function Ψ at a given point and time is proportional to
the value of |Ψ|2.
(by de-Broglie’s hypothesis)
Black-body radiation:
Black-body radiation is the thermal electromagnetic radiation within or surrounding a body
in thermodynamic equilibrium with its environment, emitted by a black body.
