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Which of the following statements describes wave-particle duality?

Electrons prefer to exist as particles, but will exhibit wave properties
under certain conditions.
Electrons exhibit properties of both waves and particles.
Some electrons only exist as waves, and others only exist as particles.
Electrons prefer to exist as waves, but will exhibit particle properties
under certain conditions.

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Wave-particle duality is the concept that electrons can exhibit properties of both waves and particles.


Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best describes wave-particle duality is that electrons exhibit properties of both waves and particles. This concept is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics and states that particles, like electrons, can display wave-like properties and particle-like properties depending on the experiment or observation being made. For example, experiments such as the double-slit experiment have shown that electrons can exhibit interference patterns characteristic of waves. On the other hand, the photoelectric effect demonstrates the particle-like nature of electrons as they interact with photons.


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