deBroglie, probability
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Transcript deBroglie, probability
PH 301
Dr. Cecilia Vogel
Lecture
Review
Photon
photoelectric effect
Compton scattering
Outline
Wave-particle duality
wavefunction
probability
When do We See Which?
Wave-particle duality:
Light can show wave or particle
properties, depending on the experiment.
While propagating, light acts as a wave
while interacting, light acts as a particle.
When do We See Which?
Two-slit experiment
Light will propagate through both slits
and waves through slits interfere with
each other, but
when it strikes the screen,
it interacts with the screen one photon at a
time.
When do We See Which?
Interference
seen if waves are coherent
Diffraction
seen if obstacle/opening about size of
wavelength
Why is the sky blue?
The sky is blue, because more blue
light is scattered by the air to our eye
(than red, yellow, etc).
Blue light is more likely to scatter than
red, because red is more likely to
diffract instead.
Less diffraction occurs for shorter
wavelengths.
Blue light has shorter wavelength, so it
diffracts less and scatters more.
Why are the clouds white?
The water droplets are much larger
than the wavelength of all visible light
(not just blue/violet)
almost no visible light is diffracted by
clouds
every color of visible light is scattered by
clouds
all colors scattered, so scattered light is
white
Matter
Matter particles, like electrons, have
particle properties (of course)
individual, indivisible particles
energy & momentum
(paintball)
Duality of Matter
Matter particles also have wave properties!
They diffract!
They interfere!
Diffract from a
crystal, interference
pattern depends on
crystal structure
...from a powder,
pattern depends on
molecular structure
Duality equations
Light/photons
E hf
p h/
hchc
E E
EE
p p
cc
Matter, e.g. electrons
Same
eqns
f E/h
h/ p
E
mc
E
mc
Only for matter
Cue: ‘m’
p
mv
p
mv
22
Only for light
Cue: ‘c’
Example
What is the wavelength of an electron
which has 95 eV of kinetic energy?
Note: K<<moc2, so we can use classical
equations.
Note: DO NOT USE E=hc/.
2(95eV )
2
1
K 2 mv so v 2 K / m
0.511X 106 eV / c 2
0.019c 5784790m/s
then p mv 5.27X10 -24 kgm/s
then h/p 1.26X -10m
Wave Function
For light, the wavefunction is E(x,t)
electric field (and B(x,t) = magnetic field).
For matter the wave function is Y(x,t)
like nothing we’ve encountered before.
Not an EM wave.
The matter itself is not oscillating.
Wavefunction Interpreted
For light beam, where the wave function
(E-field) is large,
the light is bright
there are lots of photons
For beam of matter particles, where the
wave function is large
there are lots of particles.
The bright spots in interference pattern
are where lots of photons or matter particles
strike.
Probability Interpretation
If you have one particle, rather than a
beam,
the wavefunction only gives probability
P(x,t) = |Y(x,t)|2.
there is no way to predict precisely where it
will be.
Where the wave function is large
the particle is likely to be.
The bright spots in interference pattern
are where a photon or matter particle is
likely to strike.
Probability Interpretation
P(x,t) = |Y(x,t)|2.
If we repeat an experiment many, many
times, the probability tells in what fraction
of the experiments, we will find the particle
at position x at time t.
Do we have to do the experiment many, many
times for the probability to have meaning?
NO!
With one particle, you can still determine
probabilities
Averages and Uncertainty
P(x,t) = |Y(x,t)|2.
If you have many possibilities with known
probabilities
Average <x> = xave=x= probability weighted
sum of possibilities
2
x
|
Y
|
dx
<x> =
Uncertainty Dx=rms dev = root mean square
deviation
Dx = ( x x ) 2
Also
Dx = x 2 x 2
Imaginary Exponentials
What is the meaning of
e
iy
You can do algebra and calculus on it just
like real exponentials;
just remember i2 = -1.
It is a complex number,
with real and imaginary parts.
Can be rewritten as: e iy cos y i sin y
For example ei cos i sin
e i 1 but ei / 2 i
Complex Algebra
z a ib
a and b real
To add or subtract complex numbers,
add or subtract real parts (a),
add or subtract imaginary parts (b).
To multiply, use distributive law.
To get the absolute square |z|2,
multiply z by its complex conjugate, z*.
To get the complex conjugate of z,
change the sign of all the i’s.
z
2
a b
2
2
Complex Algebra
In general, with
z ce
id
z c2
2
c and d real
Complex Example
i ( kx t )
Y Ae
Find the absolute square, |Y|2,
which is the probability density.
Need the complex conjugate, Y*.
Y A
2
2
The probability density is constant,
it is the same everywhere, all the time.
this particle is as likely to be a million light
years away, as here. Not localized.
Complex Example
Given |A|2 = ¼
show that
3 1
A
i
4
4
works as well as ½.
2
2
3
3
1
1
2
1
A
16 16 4
4 4
PAL Probability
i3x
Given the wavefunction ( x )
1
e
sin( x)
1.5nm
where x is in nm
and ranges from 0 to 3 nm.
1) Find the probability density as a function of x.
2) Find <x> = the average value of x.
3) Find < x2 > = the average value of x2.
4) Find Dx = the uncertainty in x.