Implications of Wave-Particle Duality

Example 3-8. Calculate the de Broglie wavelength of an electron traveling at one-tenth the speed of light. Do the same for a Nolan Ryan fastball traveling at 100 mph. Comment on the results. 

Solution. The de Broglie wavelength of an electron can be calculated from Equation (3.20)  

The wavelength of an electron is larger than its radius, while the wavelength of the baseball is insignificant compared with the size of the ball. Therefore, the wavelike nature of matter is only important for extremely small objects, such as atoms, nucleons, and electrons. 

The first three (n = 1, 2, 3) de Broglie waves superimposed on the Bohr model of the atom. [Blatt Communications.] 

Suppose that we were to add two sine waves having slightly different frequencies together. The two waves will constructively interfere with each other at certain 

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