University Physics with Modern Physics (14th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321973615
ISBN 13: 978-0-32197-361-0

Chapter 39 - Particles Behaving as Waves - Problems - Discussion Questions - Page 1313: Q39.4

Answer

See explanation.

Work Step by Step

An electron is a point particle, so it cannot be said to “spread out”. However, the diffraction pattern shows that electrons have a wave nature as well as a particle nature. The “real” meaning is that an associated wave, the probability amplitude (which gives the chances of finding the electron at a point in space), is spread out by its passage through the hole.
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