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WAVE (OR PHASE) VELOCITY AND GROUP VELOCITY

When a single wave of definite wavelength travel in a medium, its velocity of
propagation in the medium is called the wave velocity or phase velocity

What is wave velocity?

Wave velocity is a velocity of a propagation of single wave with a definite
wavelength travel in a medium.
If, however, a number of waves of different wavelength are moving with a velocity

in a medium, then the observed velocity is the velocity of wave packet (or wave
group) formed by the waves. This is called the group velocity, and is the less than
the wave velocity.
What is group velocity?
Group velocity is the velocity with which the slowly varying envelope of the
modulated pattern due to a group of waves travel in a medium.

2
=

In the two figures above show two simple harmonic waves of slightly different
wavelengths and wave velocity. At the given instant the two waves are in phase at
certain point p and give rise to a wave group whose maximum amplitude is at
certain point p. In other word, the maximum of group waves with the velocity
slightly smaller than that of the individual waves. Thus the energy flows with the
group velocity.
Derivation of group velocity
In order to compute the group velocity, let us consider the group formed by the
following two wave of the same amplitude a but slightly different frequencies and
wavelengths.
y 1=a cos ( ω1 t−k 1 x )

y 2=a cos ( ω2 t−k 2 x )

2π
Where k = λ is called propagation constant,

The result displacement (y) is given by

y= y1 + y 2

y=a [ cos ( ω 1 t−k 1 x ) +cos ( ω2 t−k 2 x ) ]

A +B A−B
Uses the relation cos A+ cos B=2 cos 2 cos 2 [ ]
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y=2a cos
[ (( ω1 +ω 2
2 ) ( k +k
t− 1 2 x cos
2
ω 1−ω2
) ) (( 2
k −k
t− 1 2 x
2 ) ( ) )]
ω1 +ω 2 k +k
But ω= and k = 1 2 also ∆ ω=ω1−ω 2 and ∆ k=k 1−k 2
2 2

Substitute in the equation y

[
y=2a cos ( ωt−kx ) +cos ( ∆ 2ωt − ∆2kx )]
The resultant wave equation has two part
1. Wave (or phase) velocity (υ p)
ω
vp=
k
2π
Where ω=2 πν and k = λ

2 πν
¿ =νλ
2π
λ
∴ υ p =vλ

Where v is frequency and λ is wavelength

2. Group velocity (υ g )
∆ω
υg =
∆k

If ∆ ω and ∆ k are very small approximately dω and dk

dω
υg =
dk
2 πdν dν
υg = =
1 1
2 πd
λ () ()
d
λ

dv
∴ υ g=−λ 2
dλ

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 Relationship between phase velocity and group velocity
From

∴ ω=υ p k

Also
dω d ( υ p k )
υg = =
dk dk
dυp
υ g =υ g +k
dk
2π
But k = λ differentiate with respect to λ

dk −2 π −2 π 1
= 2 = ∙
dλ λ λ λ

−k
dk = dλ
λ
k −λ
=
dk dλ

Than
k
υ g =υ g + dυ
dk p

υ g =υ g +( −λdλ ) d υ p

λ
∴ υ g=υ g − dυ
dλ p

This equation show that the group velocity is smaller than the wave velocity
d υp
In the absence of the dispersion in the medium =0 it mean that
dλ
∴ v g =v p

The relationship between group velocity and particle velocity

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A particle moving with the velocity υ is supposed to consist of group of wave
according to de Broglie hypothesis. For the material particles of rest mass m0
moving with the velocity υ and having an effective mass m the total energy E is
given by
m0 c2
E=mc 2=
υ2
√ 1−
c2

Momentum is given by
m0 c
p=mc=
υ2
√ 1−
c2

The frequency of the associated de Broglie wave

E m0 c 2
ν= =
h υ2
h 1− 2
c √
Also
2 π m0 c 2
ω=
υ2
√
h 1−
c2

Differentiate with respect to velocity υ

2 π m0 υ
∴ dω= dυ
2 3
h
√( )1−
υ
c2

The wavelength associated with de Broglie wave

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 υ2
h
λ= =
p
h 1−
√
m0 υ
c2

But
2 π 2 π m0 υ
k= =
λ υ2
h 1− 2
c √
Differentiate with respect to velocity υ

dk 2 πm 0 υ2 υ2 υ2
−1 −3

dυ
=
h
1− 2
c [( ) ( ) ] 2
+
c
2
1−
c
2
2

2 π m0 υ2 υ2
¿
υ2
3 [ 1− +
c2 c2 ]
h
√( 1− 2
c )
2 π m0
∴ dk= dυ
3
υ2
h
√( 1− 2
c )
2 π m0 υ
dυ
3
υ2
dω
υg = =
dk
h 1− 2
c
2 π m0
√( )
dυ
2 3
h
√( υ
1− 2
c )
∴ υ g=υ

Thus de Broglie wave group associated with a particle travel with same velocity as
the particle itself.
Examples
1. Find the phase and group velocity of electron whose de Broglie wavelength
is 1.2 Ȧ . (Neglect relativity effect)

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 ans v g =6.06 ×106 m s−1∧v p =3.03× 106 m s−1

Solution
group velocity υ g= particle velocity υ

h
From λ=
mυ
h
υ= =6.06 ×106 m s−1
mλ

v g=6.06 × 106 m s−1

υg
Also υ p=
2

v p =3.03 ×106 m s−1

2. An electron has a de Broglie wavelength of 2.00 pm=2× 10−12 m . Find the kinetic energy,
phase and group velocity of it de Broglie wave.

ans k . E=292 eV , v g =0.771C∧v p=1.3 C