Module 4.

2
Worked Examples

1. Calculate the de Broglie wavelength of an electron having a kinetic energy of 1000eV.

Compare the result with the wavelength of X-rays having the same energy.
P2 h h 2c
Solution: K  or P  2mK   
2m P 2mK 2mc 2 K
Now c  2  10 11 MeV-cm= 2  10 5 eV-cm & mc 2  0.5  10 6 eV
K  1000eV  10 3
2  2  10 5
λ=  0.39  10 8 cm  0.39 A 0
6 3
2  0.5  10  10
12400 0 12400
 A   12.4 A0
E 1000
2. What is the de Broglie wavelength of an electron accelerated form rest by a potential of
200eV ?
Solution: The electron energy=200 eV
2c 2  2  10 5
  cm  8.68  10 9 cm  0.868 A 0
2 6
2mc K 2  0.5  200  10
3. Proton beam is used to obtain information about the size shape of atomic nuclei. If diameter
of nuclei is of the order 10-15m, what is the approximate Kinetic energy to which protons are
to be accelerated (Take mass of proton=1-3MeV
h
Solution: P 

2 2
2 2
h c (2 ) 2  2 c 2 (2 ) 2  4  10 22
P c  2  2
  26
 160  10 4 MeV
  10
As c  2  10 MeV and   10 m  10 13 cm
11 15

2
m0 c 4  (10 3 ) 2  100  10 4 MeV
E  P 2 c 2  m02 c 4  (160  100)  10 4  260  10 2  1610MeV
T  E  mc 2  1610  1000  610 MeV
4. A bullet of man 0.03Kg is moving with a velocity 500 m/s. The speed measured accurate to
0.02%. Calculate uncertainty in x.
Ans: P  0.03  500  15
2 1 30
P    15  4  3  10 3
100 100 10
34
h 6.6  10
x   3
 2.2  10 31 m
P 3 0
5. If the position a 5 KeV electron is located within 2 A0, what is the percentage of uncertainty
is its momentum?
h 6.6  10 34 Js
Solution: P    3.3  10 24
x 2  10 10 m
 P2
 E  5  10 3  1.6  10 19 J
2m
P 2  (8  10 16 )(2  9  10 31 )  E.2m  14.4  10 46
P  3.8  10 23
P 3.3  10 24  100
 100   8.7%
P 3.8  10  23
6. The uncertainty in the velocity of the particle is equal to its velocity. Show that the uncertainty
in its location is its de Broglie wavelength.
Solution:    P  m  m  P
h h
P  x  h x     de Broglie wavelength
P P

7) An electron has a de Broglie wavelength of 2 pm = 2×10 -12 m. Find its kinetic energy.

hc
Solution: pc = h = 6.63×10-34 Js = 4.136×10-15 eV.s
λ
(4.136  10 15 eV.s)(3  108 m/s)
=  6.2  105eV = 620 keV
2  1012 m
Eo = moc2 = 511 keV = 0.511 MeV
K.E = E – Eo =
E o2  ( pc ) 2  E o  (511 keV) 2  (620 keV) 2  511 keV

= 803 keV – 511 keV = 292 keV

8) What is the wavelength associated with an electron of energy 1000 eV?

12
[Hint for non-relativistic electron λ (Ao) = ]
E(eV)

12 1.2
Solution: =   1.388 A o
103 10

p2
9) If kinetic energy of a particle is increased to 4 times. How will associated de Broglie
2m
wavelength change?

h p2
Solution: λ  E=
p 2m
 p2 (2p)2 h λ
E' = 4. = λ'  
2m 2m 2p 2
de Broglie wavelength is halved.
10) An electron has a speed of 500 m/s, which an experimenter determine with an accuracy

0.01 %. What is the uncertainty in position ?

Solution: p = mν = (9.1×10-31 kg) (500 m/s) = 4.55×10-28 kg m/s

0.01
Δp= x4.55x10-28 =4.55x10-32 =
100
Δx  h 6.63  1034 Js
   -32
 2.31  10 3 m  2.31 mm
λ Δp 2πp 2π  4.55  10 kg m/s

11) An electron has a de Broglie wavelength of 2 pm. Find the phase and group velocities of
de Broglie waves (refer to problem 1)

Eo
Solution: E = 803 kev, KE = 292 keV, Eo = 511 keV E=
v2
1- 2
c
2
E 2o  511 
v = c 1- 2  c 1 -    0.771 c
E  803 

c2 c2
The phase velocity --- =   1.3 c and the group velocity νg = ν = 0.771 c
 0.771 c

12) The atoms in a solid possess a certain minimum zero-point energy even at temperature
of 0 K, while no such restriction holds for molecules in a ideal gas. Explain.

Solution: Each atom in a solid is limited to a certain definite region of space – otherwise the
assembly of atoms would not be a solid. The uncertainty in position of each atom is therefore
finite and its momentum and hence energy cannot be zero. The position of an ideal gas molecule
is not restricted. So the uncertainty in its position is effectively infinite and its momentum and
hence energy can be zero.