Monday 20 April 2015

Quantum Stuff #10

Quantum Stuff #10


Uncertainty Principal




The uncertainty principle is probably one of the most famous yet most misunderstood ideas in physics. It states that there will always be an error in our calculation and is the reason why atoms don't implode and shows that the vacuum of space is not actually empty.

The uncertainty principle says that we cannot measure the position and the momentum of a particle with absolute precision. The more the accurately we measure one value the less accurately we know the other. Multiplying the errors in the measure together has to give a number equal to or greater than a constant called 'h-bar'. It is equal to Planck's constant divided by 2 Pi. Planck's constant is equal to 6.626 * 10^-34 joule seconds.

The equation is \Delta x \, \Delta p\gtrsim h\qquad\qquad\qquad  with the particles position being x and and the particles momentum being p. 

This is because us measuring the particle will affect it even if it is only slightly affected it still changes one of the two values and makes it harder to measure meaning that we can never be sure of both values at the same time. 

Keep Learning and Have a Great Day,
Quantum Mechanics Enthusiast,

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