Physics 9702 · AS & A Level · Wave-particle duality

Wave-particle duality — practice question

(a)[1]

State the meaning of the de Broglie wavelength.

(b)[2]

Calculate the de Broglie wavelength for an electron travelling at a speed of $4.9 \times 10^{7}\,\text{m s}^{-1}$.

(c)[2]

State one way in which an electron and a positron are similar and one way in which they differ.

(d)

An electron moving at a speed of $4.9 \times 10^{7}\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ collides with a positron travelling at the same speed in the opposite direction. The collision produces two gamma-ray photons.

(d(i))[1]

State the name given to this reaction.

(d(ii))[2]

State what happens to the electron and positron.

(d(iii))[1]

Explain why two gamma-ray photons are produced instead of only one.

(d(iv))[1]

Show that the electron’s kinetic energy before the collision is $1.1 \times 10^{-15}\,\text{J}$.

(d(v))[3]

Use the information in d(i)v to determine, to three significant figures, the wavelength of the gamma radiation emitted in the collision.

Worked solution & mark scheme

This 13-mark question has a full step-by-step worked solution and mark scheme. One marking point: wavelength linked to a moving particle

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