AQA A-Level Physics Paper 1, June 2022: Question 16

1 mark · Easy difficulty · Multiple Choice

Identify which row gives evidence for the wave nature of electrons and the particulate nature of light.

Practise this question

Question

Multiple-choice question 1.6 asking to identify the row that gives evidence for the wave nature of electrons and the particulate nature of light. A table lists four options (A, B, C, D) with combinations of electron diffraction, photoelectric effect, and single-slit diffraction.
Question text

16 Which row gives evidence for the wave nature of electrons and evidence for the particulate

nature of light?

[1 mark]

Wave nature of electrons Particulate nature of light

A electron diffraction photoelectric effect

B electron diffraction single-slit diffraction

C photoelectric effect single-slit diffraction

D photoelectric effect electron diffraction

Mark scheme

Show the mark scheme Mark scheme indicating the correct answer is option A, which corresponds to electron diffraction for the wave nature of electrons and the photoelectric effect for the particulate nature of light.

16 A (AO1) electron diffraction photoelectric effect

How to answer it

Wave-Particle Duality Evidence

What this question tests

This question assesses your fundamental knowledge of wave-particle duality (AO1). You need to recall and pair specific experimental phenomena with the corresponding model of matter and radiation they support: de Broglie's wave nature of electrons (demonstrated via electron diffraction) and the particulate (photon) nature of electromagnetic radiation (demonstrated via the photoelectric effect).

Question 16 (1 Mark)

Exam Breakdown

✅ Correct Answer: Row A

Wave nature of electrons: electron diffraction

Particulate nature of light: photoelectric effect

Marks: 1/1 awarded for selecting Row A.

💡 Key Knowledge

  • Electron Diffraction: Passing electrons through a thin crystal (like graphite) produces rings on a fluorescent screen, behaving identically to X-ray diffraction, proving particles possess wave properties.
  • Photoelectric Effect: Light shining on a metal surface ejects photoelectrons instantaneously if frequency exceeds the threshold frequency, proving light behaves as discrete packets of energy (photons).

🧠 Exam Technique

  • Tackle multiple-choice matching questions by evaluating one column at a time to eliminate incorrect options quickly.
  • Look at "wave nature of electrons": immediately identify that electron diffraction is the classic textbook proof, narrowing your choices down to Rows A and B.
  • Evaluate the second column ("particulate nature of light"): single-slit diffraction proves wave properties of light, leaving Row A as the only correct match.

❌ Common Errors

  • Confusing diffraction phenomena: single-slit or double-slit diffraction demonstrates the wave nature of light, not its particulate nature.
  • Mixing up which experiment proves which model—remember that the photoelectric effect famously baffled classical wave theory, cementing the photon (particle) model.

Topics

Physics · 3.2 Particles and radiation

Question and mark scheme from the AQA A-Level Physics examination, Paper 1, June 2022. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.