Light is usually thought of as wave-like in nature and electrons as particle-like. In which one of the following instances does light behave as a particle or does an electron behave as a wave? A)A Young's double slit experiment is conducted using blue light. B)X-rays are used to examine the crystal structure of sodium chloride. C)Water is heated to 99.0 ^oC in a microwave oven. D)An electron enters a parallel plate capacitor, which deflects the electron downward. E)A beam of electrons is diffracted as it passes through a narrow slit.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a beam of electrons is diffracted as it passes through a narrow slit, the electrons behave as waves, exhibiting diffraction patterns similar to those exhibited by waves. This phenomenon is known as electron diffraction and is an example of wave-particle duality, where electrons behave both as particles and waves. In contrast, in all the other instances mentioned, light is behaving as a wave or electrons as particles. For example, in the Young's double slit experiment, light exhibits interference patterns characteristic of waves, while in the crystal structure examination using X-rays, the X-rays scatter or bounce off the atoms, demonstrating particle-like behavior. Water being heated in a microwave oven involves the conversion of electromagnetic waves to thermal energy, while the deflection of an electron by a parallel plate capacitor is a manifestation of the particle-like nature of electrons.

Light Is Usually Thought of as Wave-Like in Nature and Electrons