Wavelength of an electron homework

In summary, De Broglie's relationship of λ=h/p is valid for relativistic particles. For a relativistic electron with kinetic energy of 3.00 MeV, the de Broglie wavelength is calculated using the equation E^2 = p^2c^2 + m^2c^4. Alternatively, the velocity can be found using E = mc^2/sqrt(1-(v/c)^2) and then used to calculate the momentum and de Broglie wavelength.
  • #1
Jules18
102
0

Homework Statement



De Broglie postulated that the relationship λ=h/p is valid for relativistic particles. What is the de Broglie wavelength for a (relativistic) electron whose kinetic energy is 3.00 MeV?

-Electron has 3.00 MeV (or 4.8*10^-13 Joules)
-it's relativistic
-finding λ.

Homework Equations



h=6.63*10^-34

λ=h/p (obviously)

And I'm not sure if they're needed, but the relativistic eq's are:

KE = mc^2/sqrt(1-(v/c)^2)
p = mv/sqrt(1-(v/c)^2)

I'm not sure if this one applies to relativistic speeds:

E = hc/λ

The Attempt at a Solution



Attempt 1:

E = hc/λ

4.8E-13 = (6.63E-34)(3E8)/λ
λ = (6.63E-34)(3E8)/(4.8E-13)
λ = 4.14E-13 m

BUT answer key says 3.58E-13

If you could help, that would be great.
Sorry if it's too long, and I'm a little unfamiliar with relativistic eqn's so forgive me if I screwed up on them.
 
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  • #2
The equation you used, [itex]E = hc/\lambda[/itex], only applies to photons (or massless particles in general). So you're not going to need that one here. If you're familiar with the equation
[tex]E^2 = p^2c^2 + m^2c^4[/tex]
I'd use that. If not, you can get the velocity from
[tex]E = \frac{mc^2}{\sqrt{1 - v^2/c^2}}[/tex]
(note that that's total energy, not kinetic energy) and compute the momentum from that.
 
  • #3
Thanks very much for the help.
 

1. What is the wavelength of an electron?

The wavelength of an electron is a physical property that describes the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs in the electron's wave-like behavior.

2. How is the wavelength of an electron calculated?

The wavelength of an electron can be calculated using the de Broglie wavelength equation: λ = h/mv, where λ is the wavelength, h is Planck's constant, m is the mass of the electron, and v is the velocity of the electron.

3. Can the wavelength of an electron change?

Yes, the wavelength of an electron can change depending on its energy. Higher energy electrons have shorter wavelengths, while lower energy electrons have longer wavelengths.

4. What is the significance of the wavelength of an electron?

The wavelength of an electron is significant because it shows the wave-like behavior of subatomic particles. It also plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of electrons in quantum mechanics.

5. How does the wavelength of an electron compare to other particles?

The wavelength of an electron is much smaller than that of larger particles, such as protons and neutrons. However, it is still significant and shows that all particles, regardless of size, can exhibit wave-like behavior.

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