Duality of Matter

Physics SSS3 First Term

WEEK 8

Duality of Matter

Performance Objectives

Students should be able to;

1. Identify phenomena which are only satisfactorily to explain by assuming matter behaves like waves
2. Identify phenomena which are only satisfactorily to explain by assuming matter behaves like particles.

Electron diffraction

Content

The wave nature of X-rays was established by X-ray diffraction experiments. In the same way the Davisson and Germer experiment established the wave nature of electrons.

In the Davisson and Germer experiment, a beam of electrons emitted from a heated filament was made to impinge on a layer of a thin metal film or crystal at C. The electrons were diffracted and the diffraction rings were produced on a photographic plate placed behind…