The discussion centers on calculating the DeBroglie wavelength based on kinetic energy, specifically addressing the confusion around the term "mc," which is clarified as a typo for "m_e," representing the rest mass of an electron. Participants confirm that for photons, which possess no rest mass, the relationship between kinetic energy (K) and momentum (p) is expressed as p = K/c. To derive the wavelength of a photon, the Planck relationship, E = hν, is utilized, linking energy and frequency.
PREREQUISITESStudents and educators in physics, particularly those focusing on quantum mechanics and wave-particle duality, as well as anyone seeking to understand the relationship between kinetic energy and wavelength in photons and electrons.
Looks like a typo. It should also be ##m_e##, the rest mass of the electron.Cocoleia said:
Photons have no rest mass. Setting it to zero in the equation in your problem yields p = K/c, where K is the energy of the photon. That's a valid result linking energy and momentum for a photon. To get at the wavelength appeal to the Planck relationship, ##E = h \nu##.Cocoleia said: