Fire electrons through a thin graphite film and they form diffraction rings, just as waves do. Each electron has a de Broglie wavelength λ = h/p. Accelerate them harder and their momentum rises, their wavelength shrinks, and the diffraction rings close in. This is the wave nature of a particle.
MissionRaise the accelerating voltage and watch the de Broglie wavelength fall and the rings shrink. Faster electrons are shorter waves.Streak 0Best 0
Speeding the electrons up (higher voltage) makes the de Broglie wavelength:
accelerating voltage1000 V
kinetic energy = eV1000 eV
momentum p = √(2m₃eV)1.71 × 10⁻²³ N s
de Broglie λ = h/p38.8 pm
Diffraction proves the wave nature; the electron also lands as one particle.