An electron (), a proton (), and an alpha particle () possess identical kinetic energies. What is th — Atomic Structure Chemistry Question
Question
An electron ($e$), a proton ($p$), and an alpha particle ($\alpha$) possess identical kinetic energies. What is the correct sequence of their de Broglie wavelengths?
Answer: C
💡 Solution & Explanation
For identical Kinetic Energies, $\lambda \propto 1/\sqrt{m}$. Since the mass order is $m_e < m_p < m_\alpha$, the inverse square root yields the wavelength order $\lambda_e > \lambda_p > \lambda_\alpha$.
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