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Principle

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, introduced by Werner Heisenberg in 1927, states that it is impossible to simultaneously know both the exact position and momentum of a particle. This principle highlights a fundamental limit in quantum mechanics, where the act of measuring one property disturbs the other. The mathematical formulation of the principle indicates that the product of uncertainties in position and momentum is always greater than or equal to a constant, reflecting the inherent nature of quantum particles.

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22 views2 pages

Principle

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, introduced by Werner Heisenberg in 1927, states that it is impossible to simultaneously know both the exact position and momentum of a particle. This principle highlights a fundamental limit in quantum mechanics, where the act of measuring one property disturbs the other. The mathematical formulation of the principle indicates that the product of uncertainties in position and momentum is always greater than or equal to a constant, reflecting the inherent nature of quantum particles.

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🌌 Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle – Detailed Explanation

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is one of the most important concepts in quantum mechanics,
introduced by the German physicist Werner Heisenberg in 1927. This principle explains a
fundamental limit to the precision with which certain pairs of physical properties of a particle, known
as complementary variables, can be known or measured simultaneously.

🔬 What Does It Say?

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states:

It is impossible to simultaneously determine both the exact position and the exact momentum
(mass × velocity) of a particle.

In simple words, the more accurately you try to measure the position of a particle, the less
accurately you can know its momentum, and vice versa.

⚛️Mathematical Formulation:

The uncertainty principle can be written as:

Δx⋅Δp≥h4π\Delta x \cdot \Delta p \geq \frac{h}{4\pi}Δx⋅Δp≥4πh

Where:

 Δx\Delta xΔx = uncertainty in position

 Δp\Delta pΔp = uncertainty in momentum (= mass × velocity)

 hhh = Planck's constant (approximately 6.626×10−34 Js6.626 \times 10^{-34} \,


Js6.626×10−34Js)

This inequality tells us that the product of the uncertainties in position and momentum can never be
zero and must be greater than or equal to a very small constant.

🧪 Why Does This Happen?

This uncertainty arises not because of experimental limitations, but because particles at the
quantum level (like electrons, photons, etc.) do not behave like classical objects. They show both
wave and particle nature.

When you try to observe such particles, the act of observation itself disturbs them. For example:

 To see an electron, you must shine light (photons) on it.

 But photons themselves have energy and momentum.

 When a photon hits the electron, it changes the electron's path or speed—so by observing
position, you disturb momentum.
🌠 Real-World Example:

Let’s say you try to look at a fast-moving electron under a powerful microscope. To locate it precisely,
you use a very short wavelength light. However, shorter wavelengths have higher energy, which
disturbs the electron’s speed and momentum when it is struck by the light. You can now see where it
was—but you’ve changed how fast it was moving.

So, the more accurately you know the location, the less you know about how fast and in what
direction it was moving.

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