PHY-1701
Heisenberg Uncertainty
Principle
(Nobel Prize,1932)
Arpan Kumar Nayak (Ph.D)
Department of Physics
School of Advanced Sciences
WERNER HEISENBERG (1901 -
1976) was one of the greatest
physicists of the twentieth century.
He is best known as a founder of
quantum mechanics, the new
physics of the atomic world, and
especially for the uncertainty
principle in quantum theory.
 Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

It is impossible to determine simultaneously with

unlimited precision the position and momentum of a
particle.
h
xpx 
4

2
 Measuring Position and Momentum of an Electron

• Shine light on electron and detect

reflected light using a microscope BEFORE
ELECTRON-
PHOTON
COLLISION
• Minimum uncertainty in position
is given by the wavelength of the light
• So to determine the
incident
Position accurately, it is photon

necessary to use light with

a short wavelength electron
 Measuring Position and Momentum of an Electron

• By Planck’s law E = hc/λ, a photon

with a short wavelength has a large AFTER
energy ELECTRON-
PHOTON
COLLISION
• Thus, it would impart a large
‘kick’ to the electron
• But to determine its momentum
accurately, electron must only be
given a small kick scattered
photon

• This means using light of

long wavelength ! recoiling
electron
 What we understand??

• It is impossible to know both the position and

momentum exactly, i.e., Δx=0 and Δp=0

• These uncertainties are inherent in the physical world

and have nothing to do with the skill of the observer

• Because h is so small, these uncertainties are not

observable in normal everyday situations
 Example of Baseball

• A pitcher throws a 0.1-kg baseball at 40

m/s

• So momentum is 0.1 x 40 = 4 kg m/s

• Suppose the momentum is measured to

an accuracy of 1 percent , i.e.,

Δp = 0.01 p = 4 x 10-2 kg m/s

 Example of Baseball (cont’d)

• The uncertainty in position is then

• No wonder one does not observe

the effects of the uncertainty
principle in everyday life!
 Example of Electron
• Same situation, but baseball
replaced by an electron which has
mass 9.11 x 10-31 kg traveling at 40
m/s

• So momentum = 3.6 x 10-29 kg m/s

and its uncertainty = 3.6 x 10-31
kg m/s

• The uncertainty in position is then

 Energy Uncertainty

The energy uncertainty of a Gaussian wave packet is

combined with the angular frequency relation

• Energy-Time Uncertainty Principle: .

 The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that it is

impossible to know both the momentum and the position
of a particle at the same time.
• This limitation is critical when dealing with small particles
such as electrons.
• But it does not matter for ordinary-sized objects such as
cars or airplanes.
 To locate an electron, you might strike it with a photon.
 The electron has such a small mass that striking it with a
photon affects its motion in a way that cannot be
predicted accurately.
 The very act of measuring the position of the electron
changes its momentum, making its momentum uncertain.
 The Heisenberg Uncertainty
Principle
Before collision: A photon strikes
an electron during an attempt
to observe the electron’s
position.

• After collision: The impact

changes the electron’s
momentum, making it
uncertain.
 The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

• If we want accuracy in position, we must use short

wavelength photons because the best resolution
we can get is about the wavelength of the
radiation used.

• Short wavelength radiation implies high

frequency, high energy photons.

• When these collide with the electrons, they

transfer more momentum to the target.

• If we use longer wavelength, i.e less energetic

photons, we compromise resolution and position.
 CONTENT
• Schrödinger’s wave equation
• Time independent equations
• Time dependent equations

• Physical significance of wave function

• Particle in a one dimensional box

 WAVE FUNCTION
A variable quantity which characterizes de
Broglie waves is known as wave function and
is denoted by the symbol  . The value of the
wave function associated with a moving particle at
point (x,y,z) and time ‘t’ gives the probability of
finding the particle at that time and at that point.
Properties of Valid Wave Functions

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Properties of Valid Wave Functions

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Properties of Valid Wave Functions

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 Properties of Valid Wave Functions

6) In order to avoid infinite probabilities, the wave function must be finite

everywhere.
7) In order to avoid multiple values of the probability, the wave function must be
single valued.
8) For finite potentials, the wave function and its derivative must be continuous. This
is required because the second-order derivative term in the wave equation must
be single valued. (There are exceptions to this rule when V is infinite.)
9) In order to normalize the wave functions, they must approach zero as x approaches
infinity.

• Solutions that do not satisfy these properties do not generally correspond to

physically realizable circumstances.

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Normalization and Probability
 The probability P(x) dx of a particle being between x and (x + dx) was
given in the equation

 The probability of the particle being between x1 and x2 is given by

 The wave function must also be normalized so that the probability of the
particle being somewhere on the x axis is 1.
Time Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Time Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Time Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Time Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Time Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Putting the value of E and P
Time Dependent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Time Independent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Time Independent Schrodinger Wave Equation
Time Independent Schrodinger Wave Equation