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Do Electrons Have Momentum?

Maya Lin-Takahashi • • 7 min read
Do Electrons Have Momentum?

No, electrons and all other particles of nature cannot be assumed to have well defined position and momentum

position and momentum
Quantum mechanics provides two fundamental examples of the duality between position and momentum, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle ΔxΔp ≥ ħ/2 stating that position and momentum cannot be simultaneously known to arbitrary precision, and the de Broglie relation p = ħk which states the momentum and wavevector of a ...
› Position_and_momentum_space
prior to a measurement or interaction.

Do electrons carry momentum?

Massive quanta, like electrons, also act like macroscopic particles—something we expect, because they are the smallest units of matter. Particles carry momentum as well as energy. Despite photons having no mass, there has long been evidence that EM radiation carries momentum.

How do you find the momentum of an electron?

What is the de Broglie wavelength of an electron?
  1. The mass of an electron is equal to 1 me, or. ...
  2. The speed of this electron is equal to 1 c divided by 100, or 299,792,458 m/s / 100 = 2,997,924.58 m/s .
  3. Multiplying the mass and speed, we obtain the momentum of the particle: p = mv = 2.7309245*10-24 kg·m/s .
Maya Lin-Takahashi
Author

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.