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einstein1921
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I know an electron behaves like wave. I want to know what the means of this "wave"? electron wave is electromagnet wave like light or mechanical wave like sound? Thank you all!
grzz said:The wave is neither electromagnetic nor mechanical. It is a wave of probability.
einstein1921 said:Thank you! when we explain electron interference ,we use wavefunction superpostion.as if electron is "real" wave. why can we do that?
you mean that electron actually is particle,but we use a function called wavefunction to describe the probability where it is. is my understand right?
It isn't.cattlecattle said:Whether to call it a particle or a wave is really just a personal preference.
Not quite true. You can set up an array of detectors over some region of space and forget which one made the detection.But there are scenarios which cannot be described using this wave-like description; for example it is never the case that one actually detects one single distributed (over a region of space) electron; in a detection one always detects a point-like electron.
An electron wave refers to the probability distribution of an electron in an atom or molecule. It describes the likelihood of finding an electron at a particular location in space. This wave-like behavior of electrons is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics.
Unlike classical waves, such as sound or light waves, an electron wave does not have a physical medium to travel through. It is a mathematical representation of the electron's probability of being at a certain location. Additionally, classical waves can have any amplitude, while the amplitude of an electron wave is limited by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
The wave-like behavior of electrons is due to their quantum nature. In quantum mechanics, particles, including electrons, can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. This is known as wave-particle duality. The electron wave represents the probability of finding the electron in a particular state, rather than its actual position.
The electron wave plays a crucial role in determining the electronic structure and chemical properties of atoms and molecules. The distribution of the electron wave determines the energy levels and orbitals of electrons, which in turn influence the reactivity and bonding of atoms and molecules.
No, the electron wave cannot be observed directly. As mentioned before, it is a mathematical concept that represents the probability of finding an electron at a particular location. However, scientists can indirectly observe the effects of the electron wave through experiments and measurements.