Wave-particle duality for the electron

[Uranium235]

Hello again!

So this time I have a few questions about the wave nature of the electron. So I've read that an electron can behave both as a wave and as a particle. My questions are regarding the electron as a wave.
1) When does the electron behave as a wave? Is it a transverse or longitudinal wave? I know that the electron has been observed to have wave like characteristics in double slit experiments and particle like characteristics in some others, but I would like to know if the electron is always both wave and particle or if it alternates.
2) What is the medium through which the electron-wave travels? Is it the electric field?
3) If it is a transverse wave through the electric field, does this mean that it can undergo linear polarization by passing through a polarizing filter?

 

[Bill_K]

1) Basically, like a wave when it propagates and like a particle when it interacts. The wave is neither transverse nor longitudinal, as these terms apply to vector fields and the electron is a spinor.

2) There is no medium. Electrons propagate just fine in vacuum.

3) The filters used to produce polarized light do not affect electrons. You can polarize a beam of electrons in the sense that their spins are aligned, and this is sometimes done in particle accelerators. Here's a reference describing one method: http://epaper.kek.jp/p95/ARTICLES/MPE/MPE08.PDF

 

[San K]

1) Basically, like a wave when it propagates and like a particle when it interacts. The wave is neither transverse nor longitudinal, as these terms apply to vector fields and the electron is a spinor.

2) There is no medium. Electrons propagate just fine in vacuum.

3) The filters used to produce polarized light do not affect electrons. You can polarize a beam of electrons in the sense that their spins are aligned, and this is sometimes done in particle accelerators. Here's a reference describing one method: http://epaper.kek.jp/p95/ARTICLES/MPE/MPE08.PDF

well explained Bill.

the medium is time-space?

and polarization does not break/effect quantum entanglement?

 

["pi"mp]

the medium is time-space?

Well, everything traverses through spacetime so we don't necesarily think of it as a "medium" specific to the electron. Sounds requires air to travel, yet it still travels in spacetime. Light travels well in water (albeit less than "c") yet still travels in spacetime.

It used to be thought that there must be a medium for light known as the "luminiferous aether" but that idea was dispelled.