Whatis the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle?

Question

Can anyone explain in plain English the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle?

Answer 1

Basically what it says is that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and velocity of a particle at any given point in time. One application of this is our definition of electron orbitals. Electron orbitals are defined by electron clouds. The shape of these clouds is determined by the probablility of where an electron is most likely to be at a given point in time, because it is impossible to know their exact location.

Answer 2

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle deals with the uncertainty of multiple measurements and how simply measuring something can change a system. For example, say you want to know the velocity and position of an electron around an atom. The principle says that by measuring one of the two quantities accurately will cause the measurement of the other to become less accurate.

Answer 3

Hi. It means that the act of measuring something effects what you are measuring, and therefore you can never know an objects properties with certainty.

Edit. From the web: " A principle in quantum mechanics holding that increasing the accuracy of measurement of one observable quantity increases the uncertainty with which another conjugate quantity may be known."

Answer 4

Other examples would be like measuring the temperature of a liquid by putting in a thermometer (which would change the temperature of the liquid by itself), also to measure electric potential a test charge is needed (which would alter the electric field slightly).

Answer 5

ΔE*Δt >ħ/2 =5,2728574e-35
and
Δp*Δx>ħ/2

The uncenrtainty of a particle's energy(E) times the uncertainty at wich time(t) it's measured can never be smaller than hbar/2.

the same way;

The uncenrtainty of a particle's momentum (p) times the uncertainty of it's position (x)can never be smaller than hbar/2.

this means that if, for exemple, you measure very precisely the position of a particle(i.e. small uncertainty of x). The measure of momentum of this particle will be inprecise.

Answer 6

It's part of quantum physics. It literally means that you can never predict the outcome of any experiment with 100 percent certainty. However the effect is only noticeable at the subatomic level.

Answer 7

Basically when you measure something you change it by the act of measuring so you can never get an accute measurement.

Answer 8

Mata Hari has a good explanation. I agree with her.

Answer 9

delta x*delta p=hby2pi.,where