Davisson-Germer experiment
The Davisson-Germer experiment was a confirmation of the wave nature of matter and a fundamental demonstration of the viability of the theory of quantum mechanics. Template:TOC-right In 1927, Clinton Joseph Davisson (1881-1958) and Lester Halbert Germer (1896-1971) tested de Broglie’s hypothesis[1] of the wave behaviour of matter by beaming electrons at varying levels of energy at a crystal lattice of nickel. Since the sample of nickel was composed of layers or planes of crystals, the expectation was that the electrons would be scattered at varying angles from the regular intervals of the crystal layers. Subsequently, the electrons scattering from the different planes would then interfere with each other.
Davisson and Germer then measured the current (energy) of electrons scattered at varying angles after striking the crystals. Their data showed clear evidence of interference patterns typical of waves that correlated with the different crystal planes of the nickel.
This experiment[2] is considered the definitive proof of the wave nature of matter and a foundational demonstration of nature of matter in quantum mechanics.
[3][4][5][6][7][8]<ref>Nature of Mass Calphysics Institute
References
- ↑ Louis-Victor-Pierre-Raymond de Broglie (1892-1987) published this theory in his doctoral thesis, Recherches sur la théorie des quanta (Researches on the quantum theory), Thesis, Paris, in 1924. de Broglie posited that matter would act as a wave and that wavelength was related to its momentum as is true of a photon. The wavelength, lambda, a function of Planck’s constant and momentum (λ=h/p where h is Planck’s constant and p is momentum) is actually inversely proportional to momentum and thus larger objects have diminishing wavelengths, explaining why macroscopic objects do not have an apparent wave behaviour—the greater the momentum the smaller the wavelength.
- ↑ Published by Davisson and Germer (1927) in Nature, V119, pp. 558-560. Reflection of electrons by a crystal of nickel
- ↑ Davisson Germer Experiment Dept of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico. Retrieved April 20th, 2008
- ↑ Davisson-Germer Experiment Carl. R. Nave (2006) Dept of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University
- ↑ Wave nature of electron Carl. R. Nave (2006) Dept of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University
- ↑ C. J. Davisson Discovery of Electron Waves-Nobel Lecture 1937 Nobel Foundation
- ↑ Quantum Theory 1 Sayffie Maleki (2006) Dept of Physics, Union College
- ↑ Planck, Einstein, and de Broglie David J. Raymond (2006) New Mexico Tech