Final answer:
Experimental evidence for the wave nature of electrons includes diffraction patterns observed when electrons are diffracted through a crystal, such as in the Davisson-Germer experiment, and interference patterns from double-slit experiments with single electrons demonstrating electron-diffraction due to their wave-like behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
Experimental Evidence for the Wave Nature of Electrons
The wave nature of electrons is supported by experimental evidence such as diffraction patterns observed in experiments. Such evidence was first provided by C. Davisson and L. Germer, who demonstrated that electrons exhibit wavelike behavior through their famous experiment. They scattered electrons off a crystalline nickel surface and observed diffraction patterns which acted as indirect slits. These patterns provided convincing evidence for the wave nature of matter, also referred to as matter waves.
Furthermore, single electron double-slit experiments conducted by scientists such as Claus Jönsson, Giulio Pozzi, and Akira Tonomura, showed that electrons generate an interference pattern even when passing through the slits one by one. This discovery affirmed that electron-diffraction images are indeed a result of the wave-like behavior of electrons, supporting the wave-particle duality, a fundamental characteristic of quantum particles.
These experiments confirm that while electrons may appear as small localized particles, their behavior is governed by wave equations rather than classical mechanics. The interference pattern seen in the Davisson-Germer experiment and subsequent double-slit experiments is analogous to patterns formed by light waves, further reinforcing the conclusion that electrons have wave properties.