A proton and an electron are both accelerated to the same final kinetic energy. If λ_p is the de Broglie wavelength of the proton and λ₃ is the de Broglie wavelength of the electron, then A)λ_p λ_e. B)λ_p = λ_e. C)λ_p

Question

A proton and an electron are both accelerated to the same final kinetic energy. If λ_p is the de Broglie wavelength of the proton and λ₃ is the de Broglie wavelength of the electron, then A)λ_p > λ_e. B)λ_p = λ_e. C)λ_p < λ_e. D)Not enough data to answer this question.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The de Broglie wavelength is inversely proportional to the momentum. Since the proton is much more massive than the electron, for the same kinetic energy, the proton will have a smaller velocity and thus a larger momentum, resulting in a shorter wavelength compared to the electron.

A Proton and an Electron Are Both Accelerated to the Same