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Topic: Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?  (Read 2749 times)

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Offline hoangthanhbinh8

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All particles can act as wave.

I have this data:

Particle: tennis ball
Mass: 0.0567 kg
Speed: 56 m/s

Particle: electron
Mass: 9.1 x 10-31
Speed: 5 x 106 m/s

Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?

I think the question ask about comparing those two particles.

I am not really sure what to say about this.

This is in the general and inorganic chemistry.

Can I get some help, please.

I don't want to be blunt.

Cheers.

Offline Borek

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Re: Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2014, 08:46:34 AM »
Calculate wavelength for each, compare with their size.
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Offline hoangthanhbinh8

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Re: Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2014, 06:35:42 PM »
The question says that no calculation required.

I can still do that.

The tennis ball has high mass but low velocity.

The electron has low mass but high velocity.

We can use λ=h/mv

I am not sure what to say with the question tho.

I attached the question.

It is the question b

Offline Borek

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Re: Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2014, 03:23:46 AM »
I can still do that.

The tennis ball has high mass but low velocity.

The electron has low mass but high velocity.

We can use λ=h/mv

And what numbers have you got?

Quote
I am not sure what to say with the question tho.

I attached the question.

It is the question b

Sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about, attached question has nothing to do with the question originally asked.
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Offline hoangthanhbinh8

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Re: Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2014, 07:45:55 PM »
It is the question B2.

Sorry.

I got the answer for
tennis:2.08×10-34m
electron: 1.456×10-10m

Offline Borek

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Re: Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2014, 04:36:06 AM »
I got the answer for
tennis:2.08×10-34m
electron: 1.456×10-10m

10-10 m is something that we deal with each day (even if we don't know about it) - it is more or less radius of atoms world around us is built of. Wave of this length must be easily observable in the world of atoms, and if so, you can be sure some physics/chemistry of the world surrounding us will be based on the interactions of the atoms and electrons travelling with that wavelength.

On the other hand, wavelength you calculated for the tennis ball is so short we wouldn't be able to observe it using none of the known physical effects (actually it is quite close to the so called Planck length, which some assume is the lowest possible measurable distance). As such it can safely ignored, it won't have any effect on anything.
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Offline Jackson Murphy

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Re: Why wave behavior is only significant if the particles are small?
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2014, 06:05:32 AM »
Based on the information in the original question two thoughts come to mind for me.

The first is that of consideration of the properties of the particles that constitute the two items being considered, an electron and a tennis ball.

An electron is of course an electron, while a tennis ball is of course atoms bound together in molecules. You could contrast with discussion based upon consideration of these two references:

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/australian-scientists-make-quantum-breakthrough/
http://physics.bu.edu/ulab/modern/Electron_Diffraction.pdf

Secondly, you could contrast the ratios of speed to mass of the two "particles" and consider if converted to beams of such particles with such properties what that might mean for wave properties. Are wavelike properties of a beam of particles more prominent or less prominent with speed? etc

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