Dual nature of matter

Explanation of the Dual Nature of Matter

The concepts of waves and matter are well-known to us. Anything that has a definite mass and occupies a definite space is a matter and those that carry energy in them without the localization of time and space are called waves. Both are capable of carrying momentum and energy from one place to another and hence they share a dual nature between them. It led to the birth of the theories surrounding the dual nature of matter which plays a revolutionary part in the development of science, especially in the twentieth century.

Dual nature of matter

In the past, many scientists either discarded or changed their observations when some contradictions occurred regarding the nature of the light. Einstein has shown his frustrations stating that he couldn’t find what the quanta of light are.  Some did consider it as a wave as it carries energy during its propagation and some others as matter as it is a tiny concentration of matter localized concerning time and space. These discrepancies led to them questioning the nature of light like where to place it, either as a wave or as a matter.

Dual Behavior of Matter

When light is considered as a matter, we have the phenomenon of diffraction, polarization, and interference to apply for it and when it’s seen as a matter, we can apply the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect and black body radiation. Hence, it was concluded that when light interacts with matter, it behaves as a particle and when it propagates from one place to another, it behaves as a wave. Without observing these behavioral patterns of light, it would not be possible for scientists to discover new concepts in the fields of matter and waves.

Dual Nature of Radiation

Radiation is nothing but a form of energy that can be transitioned from one point to another when it is kept in space. It is classified into many in which the particulate radiation exhibits both the properties and functions of a wave as well as a matter. This type of radiation is produced when an unstable atom disintegrates because of some factors.

In classical physics, particles and waves are treated as distinct entities. But, according to quantum theory, radiation has a dual character in them as it can switch between behaving as a wave at some times and also as a particle at other times. 

An Explanation for the Dual Nature of Matter 

The French Scientist Louis de Broglie (pronounced as Loui de Broy) proposed his theory in 1924 that if radiation like light can act as particles at times, then vice versa should be applicable for electrons. According to his hypothesis, every matter like protons, electrons, neutrons are associated with the nature of waves and he called them matter waves. Later on, Davisson and Germer with their experiment proved the hypothesis of matter waves experimentally. From this experiment, it was concluded that the de-Broglie wavelength of a particle can be calculated with the formula: λ = 1.67 Å̊̊

In the de Broglie-Bohm equation, it was concluded that the wave nature of light dominates the particle nature which vanishes at most times. It explains the reason for the scattering of light. 

Dual nature of radiation and matter formulas

We know that the momentum of photons (light waves) having a frequency can be represented as: 

p = h/λ (derived from c = vλ) 

Also, in terms of momentum, the same can be represented as λ = h/p

De-Broglie considered the above equation as a completely general one that can be applied to the particles.

He then concluded that when a particle is traveling with a velocity v and has a mass m, then its wavelength can be represented as:

λ = h/mv = h/p

This equation is termed the de-Broglie wavelength equation or the equation for matter waves. Here, h represents Planck’s constant which has a value of 6.62607004 × 10-34 m² kg / s, p is the momentum of the particle which is a product of the mass and the velocity of it and λ is the wavelength.

Conclusion 

After many experiments and observations, we finally conclude that light exhibits the nature of both the particles and waves. The invention and the reports thus solve the discrepancies that existed like light and radiation. They also help us get a better understanding of the phenomenon of the particles, waves, and also that of the light with which the velocity of every activity in the world is compared.