Calculating energy from de Broglie wavelength

In summary, there are two different formulas for energy in wavelike non-relativistic matter and particulate matter. The first formula, E = hf, is based on phase velocity and the second formula, E = 1/2 mv^2, is based on group velocity. The difference between the two formulas is due to the fact that phase velocity is always faster than the speed of light for massive particles, while group velocity corresponds to the actual motion of the particles.
  • #1
Alephu5
11
0
Given the relationships: [itex]\lambda = \frac{h}{p} = \frac{h}{mv}[/itex] and [itex]E = hf[/itex] for wavelike non-relativistic matter, and [itex]v = \lambda f[/itex] for a general wave, one can obtain the result:
[itex]E = \frac{h^2}{m \lambda^2}[/itex].

Whilst for particulate matter, we have [itex]E = \frac{1}{2}mv^2[/itex], which when combined with the assumptions above gives:
[itex]E = \frac{h^2}{2m \lambda^2}[/itex] which is the generally accepted answer.

Does anyone know why these two results differ by a factor of 2 and why the first is incorrect?
 
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  • #2
I think its because in the first one we also consider the reflected wave other than the absorbed wave!
 
  • #3
You are mixing formulas for phase velocity and group velocity here in an incorrect way.
##v_f = \lambda f## uses the phase velocity, which is always faster than the speed of light for massive particles. The other formulas are for the group velocity, which corresponds to the "motion" of the particle.

@Faris Shajahan: This has nothing to do with reflection and absorption, all formulas are valid in vacuum.
 

Related to Calculating energy from de Broglie wavelength

What is the de Broglie wavelength?

The de Broglie wavelength is a concept in quantum mechanics that describes the wavelength associated with a particle. It is calculated by dividing Planck's constant by the momentum of the particle.

How is the energy of a particle related to its de Broglie wavelength?

The energy of a particle is directly proportional to its de Broglie wavelength. This means that as the de Broglie wavelength increases, the energy of the particle also increases.

What is the formula for calculating energy from de Broglie wavelength?

The formula for calculating energy from de Broglie wavelength is E = h/λ, where E is the energy in joules, h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10^-34 joule seconds), and λ is the de Broglie wavelength in meters.

Can the de Broglie wavelength be used to describe macroscopic objects?

No, the de Broglie wavelength is only applicable to particles with wave-like behavior, such as electrons, protons, and neutrons. Macroscopic objects do not exhibit this behavior and therefore cannot be described using the de Broglie wavelength.

Is the de Broglie wavelength affected by the speed of the particle?

Yes, the de Broglie wavelength is inversely proportional to the velocity of the particle. This means that as the speed of the particle increases, its de Broglie wavelength decreases.

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