BRAINCAKEElectron Diffraction
The strongest evidence that electrons can behave as waves comes from electron diffraction.
In the laboratory, an electron gun in an evacuated glass tube produces a beam of electrons: a heated filament releases electrons by thermionic emission and they are accelerated towards an anode by a potential difference of a few kilovolts. The beam then passes through a very thin film of graphite and hits a fluorescent screen.
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Key terms in this lesson
- thermionic emission
- The emission of electrons from the surface of a heated metal filament.
More in Quantum Physics
- Electrons as Waves
- Photoelectric Effect
- The Equation for the Photoelectric Effect
- Stopping Potential
- DeBroglie Wavelength
- Electron Microscopes
- Electron Energy Levels
- Excitation and De-excitation
All 21 lessons in Quantum Physics · All Edexcel AS-level Physics topics