Analogies Between the Diffraction of Light and Electron Diffraction by Gas Molecules

Monochromatic light has been diffracted by a unit formed by an ensemble of slits with a common axis, in which all periodicities which a molecule can exhibit are represented. By a suitable choice of the slit areas we can, moreover, take account of the contribution to the expression of the intensity of each of these periodicities. Analysis leads to expressions similar to those used in the interpretation of the pattern obtained in electron diffraction by gases These have been applied to the cases of benzene and carbon tetrachloride The positions of the diffraction maxima and minima agree to within little more than one per cent with those of the corresponding electron diffraction patterns Values found for interatomic distances (starting from the relative formula of radial distribution) also agree with the real ones within the foregoing limit.