What is the uncertainty principle?

1 Answer
Nov 25, 2014

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle was formulated by the German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg, and it states that, given a particle such as an electron, it is possible to know its position while not knowing its momentum, and it is possible to know its momentum while not knowing its position, but it is not possible to know both factors simultaneously.

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is given by the equation #Delta_x Delta_p >= ħ/2#
where #Delta_p# is the position and #Delta_x# is the momentum. #ħ# is the reduced Planck constant, that is Planck's constant, denoted #h# divided by #2Pi#.