plumiElectron diffraction and the de Broglie wavelength: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Edexcel International A Level Physics past-paper questions on 2.3.4.3 Electron diffraction and the de Broglie wavelength, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q15(b)(i)
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Open the full PDFYour answerQ17(b)(ii)
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Open the full PDFYour answerQ3(b)(i)
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All 31 questions on Electron diffraction and the de Broglie wavelength, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q15(b)(i) (4 marks): Show that the de Broglie wavelength for the electron is about 1.8 × 10 –11 m. (4)
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q15(b)(ii) (3 marks): A student suggests that the beam of electrons would produce a diffraction pattern if a diffraction grating with 5000 lines per cm was used. screen electron beam
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q11 (3 marks): An electron is moving with velocity 3.6 × 10 7 m s –1. Calculate the de Broglie wavelength of this electron. de Broglie wavelength =
- January 2025, Unit 4, Q14(b) (4 marks): In one cathode ray tube, the electrons in the beam had a de Broglie wavelength –11 m. of 2.65 × 10 Calculate the potential difference V required to accelerate t
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q7 (1 mark): Particle X of mass m is moving with velocity v and has a de Broglie wavelength λ. Particle Y has a de Broglie wavelength 0.25 λ. Which row of the table could gi
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q11 (2 marks): A beam of electrons passes through a thin layer of graphite. The electrons are then incident on a fluorescent screen, causing a series of rings to form, as show
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q4 (1 mark): Which of the following is evidence that electrons can behave like waves? A Electrons are attracted towards positively charged objects. B Electrons can absorb ph
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q17(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the de Broglie wavelength of electrons moving at 5.3 × 10 (2) de Broglie wavelength =
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q3 (1 mark): An electron has a de Broglie wavelength of 3.5 × 10 –10 m. –1? Which of the following expressions gives the velocity of the electron in m s 34 6 63 . 10 A 31 10
- January 2024, Unit 4, Q15 (4 marks): A beam of electrons was directed through a thin piece of graphite towards a fluorescent screen, using the apparatus shown. vacuum cathode anode fluorescent scre
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q15(a) (4 marks): This demonstration can be used to make conclusions about the behaviour of the electrons and the structure of the graphite. State these conclusions. (4)
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q15(b)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the maximum velocity of the electrons. (2) Maximum velocity =
- October 2023, AS Unit 2, Q15(b)(iii) (3 marks): The accelerating p.d. was then increased. Explain how the pattern on the screen would change. (3)
- October 2023, Unit 4, Q12 (3 marks): An electron has kinetic energy 7.2 × 10 –16 J. Calculate the de Broglie wavelength of the electron. Wavelength =
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q5 (1 mark): An electron has a de Broglie wavelength of 1.55 × 10 −9 m. Which of the following gives the speed, in m s −1, of this electron? 31 9 11 . 10 A 34 9 6 63 . 10 1
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): Determine the mean value of a in m (2) Mean value of a = m 2 V
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q3(c)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the value of h, in J s, when a is 1.46 × 10 (2) h = J s
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q11 (3 marks): A particle travelling at a speed of 9.89 × 10 5 m s –1 has a de Broglie wavelength of 7.37 × 10 –10 m. Deduce whether this particle has a mass equal to the elec
- January 2023, Unit 4, Q17(b) (3 marks): In 1927 J J Thomson’s son directed beams of electrons at thin films of metal. The photograph shows one of the patterns observed. Explain how this pattern change
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q11 (3 marks): A beam of electrons is directed at a thin metal foil. After passing through the foil the electrons are detected by a fluorescent screen. The image shows the pat
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q10 (1 mark): In 1927, G P Thomson first demonstrated that electrons passing through a nickel crystal produce a diffraction pattern. Which of the following can be concluded f
- June 2022, AS Unit 2, Q17(b) (6 marks): The ultraviolet (UV) section of the electromagnetic spectrum can be split into three parts, known as UVA, UVB and UVC. The range of wavelengths of these parts i
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q2 (1 mark): The de Broglie wavelength for a moving electron is 5.47 × 10–10 m. Which of the following expressions gives the speed of the electron in m s–1? × − ( . 6 63 10
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q5 (1 mark): A moving electron has a de Broglie wavelength of 656 nm. Which of the following could be used to determine the speed of the electron? 34 6 63 . 10 A 9 31 ( 656
- June 2021, Unit 4, Q5 (1 mark): The diagram represents an arrangement to demonstrate electron diffraction. anode hot filament fluorescent screen θ θ – + V vacuum sample A beam of electrons is
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q9 (1 mark): In 1924 de Broglie suggested that electrons have wave properties. The de Broglie equation states: h λ = p Which of the following is correct? A The de Broglie wa
- October 2020, AS Unit 2, Q15(b) (5 marks): The Bohr model can also be used to predict an approximate radius for an atom. The equation for the radius r of the hydrogen atom is: = h k 2 r πme 2 where m = m
- January 2020, AS Unit 2, Q10 (1 mark): The evidence for the wave nature of electrons came from experiments involving A diffraction. B polarisation. C reflection. D refraction.
- June 2019, AS Unit 2, Q4 (1 mark): Which of the following has the largest de Broglie wavelength? A an electron travelling at 3.0 × 105 m sí B an electron travelling at 4.0 × 105 m sí C a neutro
- June 2019, AS Unit 3, Q3(b) (2 marks): Explain how the diffraction pattern provides evidence for the wave nature of electrons. (2)
- June 2019, AS Unit 3, Q3(c)(iv) (2 marks): The diffraction occurs as the electrons pass through the thin slice of graphite. The atoms in the graphite are arranged in layers. The position of the rings in
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