ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Physics => Topic started by: Flaming_Arrow on September 06, 2009, 02:47:08 pm

Title: wave v particle
Post by: Flaming_Arrow on September 06, 2009, 02:47:08 pm

just wondering how to distinguish between a wave-like and a particle-like properties?

Title: Re: wave v particle
Post by: NE2000 on September 06, 2009, 03:12:22 pm

Wave-like = like water waves = mainly diffraction, interference, polarization, getting slower when bending towards the normal, apparently requires some sort of medium

Particle-like = like 'large-scale' matter = getting faster when bending towards the normal but generally not diffracting at all (leaving a shadow). Also has momentum and is in discrete units.

Title: Re: wave v particle
Post by: Mao on September 06, 2009, 10:33:10 pm

Quote from: NE2000 on September 06, 2009, 03:12:22 pm

Wave-like = like water waves = mainly diffraction, interference, polarization, getting slower when bending towards the normal, apparently requires some sort of medium

Particle-like = like 'large-scale' matter = getting faster when bending towards the normal but generally not diffracting at all (leaving a shadow). Also has momentum and is in discrete units.

Another important thing to note is collision. Because particles have momentum and occupies space, they can collide and scatter, whereas waves do not collide and scatter, they superposition and the subsequent path of each wave is not affected by one another.