According to heisenberg's uncertainty principle, the postion and momentum of an electron cannot be determined together. How can we determine the position or velocity of an electron (experimental) and why cannot find it together.
Asked by sureshkalanjoor
30th July 2016,
7:15 PM
Answered by Expert
Answer:
It is impossible to measure simultaneously the position and momentum of a small particle with absolute accuracy or certainty. If an attempt is made to measure any one of these two quantities with higher accuracy, the other becomes less accurate. The product of the uncertainty in the position (Δx) and the uncertainty in the momentum (Δp = m.Δv where m is the mass of the particle and Δv is the uncertainty in veloity) is alwyas constant and is equal to or greater than h/4π, where h is Plank's constant, that is
Δx.Δp ≥ h/4π ..... (i)
The mathematical expression,
From (i) and (ii), the value of Δp calculated for a given value of Δx is the minimum value for Δp.
Similarly the value of Δp will be the minimum value for Δx.
Putting Δp = m x Δv , eqn. (i) becomes Δx . (mΔv) ≥ h/4π or Δ x . Δv ≥ h / 4πm.
This implies that the position and velocity of a particle cannot be measured simultaneously with certainty.
It is important to understand that uncertainty principle applies to position and momentum along the same axis. Thus if Δx is along X-axis, then Δp should also be along X-axis. It is further important to remember that the uncertainty principle is not on accunt of any limitation of the measuring instrument.
Answered by Expert
1st August 2016,
6:15 PM
Rate this answer
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
You have rated this answer 7/10
Your answer has been posted successfully!
RELATED STUDY RESOURCES :
JEE-BASIC Main QUESTION ANSWERS
Trending Tags
Latest Questions
JEE Main Mathematics
Asked by amaladelsingh
28th October 2020,
10:24 PM
CBSE X Biology
Asked by reenacharan2008
28th October 2020,
9:11 PM
