Which of the following confirms the wave nature of particles?
a. Photoelectric effect
b. Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment
c. de Broglie waves
d. Young's double slit experiment
The option that confirms the wave nature of particles is c. de Broglie waves.
To understand why de Broglie waves confirm the wave nature of particles, let's explain how to arrive at this answer.
In the early 20th century, scientists discovered that particles, such as electrons, also exhibit wave-like properties. This was a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the fundamental nature of particles.
One of the key contributors to this realization was Louis de Broglie, a French physicist. De Broglie proposed that if particles can exhibit wave-like properties, then perhaps waves can also exhibit particle-like properties. He postulated that every particle with momentum has an associated wavelength, now known as the de Broglie wavelength.
Now, let's analyze the other options to see why they do not confirm the wave nature of particles:
a. Photoelectric effect:
The photoelectric effect is an experiment that provided evidence for the particle nature of light. It demonstrated that light behaves as discrete particles (later called photons) when interacting with matter, but it does not confirm the wave nature of particles.
b. Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment:
Rutherford's alpha scattering experiment, also known as the gold foil experiment, resulted in the discovery of the atomic nucleus. It provided crucial evidence for the existence of a dense, positively charged nucleus in atoms. However, it does not directly confirm the wave nature of particles.
d. Young's double-slit experiment:
Young's double-slit experiment is a classic experiment that demonstrates the interference pattern produced by a beam of light passing through two slits. This experiment showcases the wave nature of light, but it does not directly confirm the wave nature of particles.
In summary, of the options given, only option c. de Broglie waves confirms the wave nature of particles.