Was electron scattering observed before it was exlained?

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SUMMARY

The phenomenon of electron scattering was not observed prior to its explanation through the wave model of physics. The first significant demonstration of the wave nature of electrons occurred in 1926, through the electron diffraction experiment conducted by Clinton Davisson and Lester Germer. This experiment was inspired by Louis de Broglie's 1924 PhD thesis, which proposed the wave nature of electron motion. Notably, the discovery of electron diffraction was reportedly accidental.

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If a beam of electrons pass through a plane where the potental energy abruptly increases but not enough to classically stop the electrons, some of the beam will reflect. Was this affect, or anything like it, ever observed before it was explained by the wave model?
 
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I don't think so. My understanding is that the first experiment demonstrating the wave motion of electrons was electron diffraction by Davisson and Germer in 1926.
Their experiment followed (and I believe was inspired by) de Broglie's 1924 PhD thesis proposing the wave nature of the motion.
 
Meir Achuz said:
Their experiment followed (and I believe was inspired by) de Broglie's 1924 PhD thesis proposing the wave nature of the motion.
I read they discoverd it by accident.
 

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