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Are particles considered to be standing waves? Or only in certain situations such as an electron in its atomic/molecular orbital?
Simon Bridge said:No and no. <sees who it is> ohai.
You are thinking of deBroglie matter waves - in that model, then you can model electrons in a stationary state in terms of a dB standing wave. However, this model seems to have been pretty much discarded.
QM particles are not classical particles.
The "wave" performance is statistical in nature.
You know this.
There is a tendency to talk about the wavefunction and the particle being the same thing in wave-mechanics ... in this case the particle is "built up" from a superposition of stationary (basis) states. But one particle does not a wave make any more than cats exhibit wave-like properties.
I'm sure we've both been in discussions of "wave-particle duality" before.Drakkith said:Not really, my knowledge of QM is far under what I wish it were.
Depends on the situation - sometimes it is better to model a beam as a set of plane-wave states.So you would take an large/infinite number of different stationary waves and add them together to achieve the wave function?
Standing waves are a type of wave pattern that occurs when two waves with the same frequency and amplitude travel in opposite directions and interfere with each other. In the context of particles and atomic/molecular orbitals, standing waves refer to the wave-like behavior of particles or electrons within an atom or molecule.
The energy levels in atoms and molecules correspond to specific standing wave patterns for the electrons within them. These energy levels represent the different possible states that an electron can occupy, with higher energy levels corresponding to larger standing wave patterns and lower energy levels corresponding to smaller standing wave patterns.
The shape and size of standing waves in atoms and molecules are determined by factors such as the mass and charge of the particles, as well as the properties of the surrounding environment. These factors affect the frequency and amplitude of the standing waves, which in turn determine their shape and size.
Yes, standing waves can be observed in everyday life in various forms. For example, the vibrations of strings on musical instruments, such as guitars and violins, produce standing wave patterns. In addition, radio waves and microwaves also exhibit standing wave patterns and are used in various technologies, such as cell phones and microwave ovens.
Standing waves play a crucial role in the behavior of electrons in atoms and molecules. The standing wave patterns of electrons determine their energy levels and therefore, their behavior and interactions with other particles. This is important in understanding the properties and chemical reactions of atoms and molecules.