However, if only the golf ball’s initial location is known, it is not possible to deduce its final position.
With these data, the golf ball’s position and velocity can be determined at any moment. According to classical physics, the path or trajectory of the golf ball can be predicted by knowing its initial position, the force with which it is hit, and the effect of other factors, such as gravity, wind, and air resistance. Now, consider a golf ball resting on a tee. The more accurately the position of the electron is known, and the smaller the Δ x, the less certain the velocity of the electron is known and larger the Δ v, and vice versa. This is known as Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. Werner Heisenberg related that the uncertainty in these properties, represented by Δ x and mΔ v, must be greater than or equal to a finite quantity - Planck’s constant over 4π. The particle-nature and wave-nature of an electron, and by extension its position and momentum, are therefore complementary properties. This means that it is also impossible to simultaneously observe the accurate position and velocity of an electron. In other words, the electron is observed as either a particle or a wave, but never both at the same time. In trying to observe the particle-nature of the electron, its wave nature is lost. Moreover, the interference pattern is no longer observed instead, two bright lines are seen. When an electron travels through a slit, it produces a small flash - indicating the slit it just passed through.ĭuring the experiment, flashes are observed at only one of the slits at a time, but never both slits simultaneously. To study this, a laser beam is arranged directly behind the slits. Since an electron is a particle, it should be possible to monitor which slit or slits it travels through.
When electrons pass through one by one, the same pattern is observed. When a beam of electrons passes through the slits, an interference pattern is produced. What happens when an experiment is set up to observe the dual nature of an electron?įirst, reconsider the double-slit experiment where there are two closely-spaced apertures. Unfortunately, it is not possible to witness the electron being both a particle, with a defined location, and a wave, with a known velocity or momentum, at the same time. So, an electron has both wave- and particle-like characteristics.
But it also behaves as a wave, with velocity v, as demonstrated by the de Broglie relation. An electron is a subatomic particle with mass, m.
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