Protons are being accelerated in a particle accelerator.When the speed of the protons is doubled,their de Broglie wavelength will
A)increase by a factor of 4.
B)increase by a factor of 2.
C)decrease by a factor of 2.
D)increase by a factor of .
E)decrease by a factor of .

Question

Protons are being accelerated in a particle accelerator.When the speed of the protons is doubled,their de Broglie wavelength will
A)increase by a factor of 4. 
B)increase by a factor of 2. 
C)decrease by a factor of 2. 
D)increase by a factor of . 
E)decrease by a factor of .

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to de Broglie's equation, λ = h/p, where λ is the de Broglie wavelength, h is Planck's constant, and p is the momentum of the particle. As the speed of the protons is doubled, their momentum will also double (p = mv), and therefore their de Broglie wavelength will decrease by a factor of 2. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

Protons Are Being Accelerated in a Particle Accelerator