Lesson Plan: Matter Waves Physics
This lesson plan includes the objectives, prerequisites, and exclusions of the lesson teaching students how to calculate the de Broglie wavelength of massive particles that have a given momentum or velocity.
Objectives
Students will be able to
- recognize that all particles have an associated wavelength called the de Broglie wavelength,
- recognize that the de Broglie wavelength of a particle is inversely proportional to its momentum,
- use the formula .
Prerequisites
Students should already be familiar with
- how to use the formula to find the momentum, , of a particle with mass and velocity ,
- how to use the formula to find the kinetic energy, , of a particle with mass and speed ,
- terms for the basic properties of waves: frequency, period, wavelength, wave speed, and amplitude,
- how to use the formula to find the wave speed, , the frequency, , or the wavelength, , given the other two,
- the names and basic properties of the following particles: the proton, the neutron, the electron, and the muon.
Exclusions
Students will not cover
- electron diffraction,
- the Heisenberg uncertainty principle,
- wave functions,
- quantum tunneling.