An electron and a gamma ray have the same wavelength.
A) The electron has less energy than the photon energy of the gamma ray.
B) The electron has the same energy as the photon energy of the gamma ray.
C) The electron has more energy than the photon energy of the gamma ray.
D) Any of these choices could be correct, depending on the wavelength.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy of a photon (like a gamma ray) is directly related to its frequency (and inversely to its wavelength) by the equation $E = hf$, where $h$ is Planck's constant and $f$ is the frequency. For an electron, energy considering its wavelength involves its momentum (via the de Broglie wavelength equation, $\lambda = \frac{h}{p}$), and its total energy includes rest mass energy and kinetic energy. Given the same wavelength, the energy comparison between an electron and a gamma ray photon depends on factors like the electron's velocity (since its total energy includes rest mass energy, which photons do not have). Therefore, without specific details about the wavelength and the conditions, any of the choices could be correct.

An Electron and a Gamma Ray Have the Same Wavelength