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Question:

For which of the following particles will it be most difficult to experimentally verify the de-Broglie relationship?

A dust particle

An electron

A proton

Anα−particle

Solution:

A dust particle will it be most difficult to experimentally verify the de-Broglie relationship. The de Broglie wavelength is given by λ = h/p, where h is Planck's constant and p is the momentum of the particle. For a particle of mass m and velocity v, the momentum is p = mv. Therefore, λ = h/mv. The de Broglie wavelength is inversely proportional to the mass and velocity of the particle. A dust particle has a much larger mass than an electron, proton, or alpha particle. This means that its de Broglie wavelength will be extremely small, making it very difficult to experimentally observe the wave-like nature of the particle. Electrons, protons, and alpha particles have much smaller masses, and their de Broglie wavelengths are large enough to be experimentally verified through experiments like electron diffraction.