What is the speed of an average argon atom that has a de Broglie wavelength of 5.2 pm?
(1 amu = 1.66054 *10^-27 kg.)

Question

What is the speed of an average argon atom that has a de Broglie wavelength of 5.2 pm? (1 amu = 1.66054 *10^-27 kg.)

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The speed of an argon atom can be calculated using the de Broglie wavelength formula: λ = h / (mv), where λ is the wavelength, h is Planck's constant (6.62607015 × 10^-34 m^2 kg / s), m is the mass of the argon atom (approximately 40 amu or 40 * 1.66054 × 10^-27 kg), and v is the velocity of the atom. Rearranging the formula to solve for v gives v = h / (mλ). Substituting the given values and solving for v yields a speed in the order of 10^3 m/s, which matches choice C.

What Is the Speed of an Average Argon Atom That