Nuclear radius

Question 1

How does electron diffraction occur?

Answer 1

• beam of high energy electrons
• directed at a thin solid sample of an element
• diffracted by nuclei

Question 2

How is the beam of electrons produced?

Answer 2

• accelerating electrons through a pd of the order of a hundred million volts

Question 3

How are the electrons diffracted?

Answer 3

• the de Broglie wavelength of such high energy electrons is of the order of 10^-15
• this is about the same as the diameter of the nucleus

Question 4

WHat is the detector used to measure?

Answer 4

• the number of electrons per second diffracted through different angles

Question 5

What do the measurements show as the angle of the detector is increased?

Answer 5

• intensity decreases then slightly increases then decreases again

Question 6

How does scattering of the beam occur?

Answer 6

• due to their charge
• attracted to nuclei
• this causes the intensity to decrease

Question 7

Why do the results slightly increase in intensity?

Answer 7

• maxima and minima to be superimposed
• only happens when de Broglie wavelength is not greater than the dimension of the nucleus