De Broglie wavelength
The wavelength associated with a moving particle, given by λ = h/p where h is Planck's constant and p is the particle's momentum. De Broglie's hypothesis (1924) proposed that all particles exhibit wave properties, not just photons, unifying wave-particle duality.
Formula
λ = h/p = h/(mv)
Real World
Electron microscopes at pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer exploit the tiny de Broglie wavelength of fast electrons to image virus structures at resolutions far beyond optical microscopes.
Exam Focus
Always check units — convert eV to joules before calculating momentum, a common source of lost marks.
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