(a) State Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. (b) Mention two phenomena that can only be explained in terms of the particulate nature of light.
Question 1 Report
(a) State Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.
(b) Mention two phenomena that can only be explained in terms of the particulate nature of light.
Answer Details
(a) Heisenberg's uncertainty principle: it is impossible to determine simultaneously, with perfect accuracy, both the position and the momentum of a particle. The more accurately one is known, the less accurately the other can be known. In symbols:
\[ \Delta x \cdot \Delta p \geq \frac{h}{4\pi} \]where \(\Delta x\) is the uncertainty in position, \(\Delta p\) the uncertainty in momentum and \(h\) Planck's constant.
(b) Two phenomena explained only by the particulate (quantum) nature of light:
- The photoelectric effect.
- The Compton effect (scattering of X-rays by electrons). Emission of line/black-body spectra is also acceptable.
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