Absolutely Small

8

Quantum Racquetball and the Color of Fruit

IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS, the fundamental concepts of quantum theory were introduced and explained. The examples given, however, looked only at the behavior of free particles. It was shown that electrons could behave as particles in the discussion of how a CRT works, but they behaved as waves in the description of electron diffraction from crystal surfaces. A free particle can have any energy. Its energy, which is kinetic, is determined by its mass and its velocity. As the velocity increases, the energy increases. A tiny increase in velocity produces a tiny increase in energy. A large increase in velocity produces a large increase in energy. The steps in energy can be any size; they are continuous. ...