Clarification on Wave-like properties of electrons

[Jocelynn Franco 1L]

Hi,
in the notes and lectures, we are continuously told that electrons have wave-like properties but what exactly are these wavelike properties?

[Lindsay Beckwith 2B]

This website is super helpful in providing a super detailed explanation of this topic: https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Pur ... _(Wenthold)/Chapter_02._Structures_and_Properties_of_Organic_Molecules/2.1_Wave_Properties_of_Electrons_in_Orbitals/Wave_Properties_of_Electrons_in_Molecules

Essentially, when we talk about an electron's wavelike properties, we are referring to behaviors like electron diffraction or the interference pattern shown in the double slit experiment (which show that electrons travel like waves). If you think of it in context of the Schrodinger Equation, this equation forms a probability wave that can predict a particle's position and energy level at a given time. As we know, we cannot be sure of an electron's exact position and exact energy simultaneously- and this is because electrons are both waves of energy and charged particles interacting with other particles.

[Nika Kononov 3E]

One example of electrons having wave-like properties is diffraction. In the two slit experiment, when matter is directed at the slits it travels through and one of the places it ends up showing up is directly behind the wall separating the slits. This is because of the matter's wave-like movement. Electrons also have the same kind of wave-like nature.

[Amanda Pineda 3H]

Hi! So the most important thing to remember is just the fact that electrons DO have wave-like properties and that this was discovered through the split light model and we saw that there is diffraction and therefore electrons may have wavelike properties. Hope this helps! For this class, this is the main property but I'm sure the internet can inform you on more if you're curious about it.

[Phoebe Ko 3E]

Scientists found that when electron beams passed through a crystal, the electron beams showed diffraction. Since diffraction results from interacting waves, they concluded that electrons must have wavelike properties. In the lecture, it was also mentioned that one of the wavelike properties that electrons have is that they are considered as circling standing waves around the nucleus. I hope this was helpful!

[Jamie Park 2F]

The behavior of electrons in the double-slit experiment shows the wave-like properties of electrons. If the electron behaved like a particle, it would only show two bands in the middle, but we see multiple bands, proving the wave-like property.

[Nicola Higgins 14B]

I remember in this lecture Dr. Lavelle talked about standing waves. What exactly are these and how do they connect to electrons?

[JasmineReyes-2K]

Hi!,

Always remember that electrons do have wave-like properties as shown through the split light model and we saw that it contains diffraction

[Ivan_Tang_2G]

based on the photoelectric effect experiment it was determined that diffraction occurs to electrons thus causing these electrons to scatter and causes wave-like property.