How would you calculate Δx for an electron with Δv = 0.340 m/s?

1 Answer
Dec 2, 2015

=>Deltax>=1.70xx10^(-4)m

Explanation:

The Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is given by:

Deltax*Delta(mv)>=h/(4pi)

=>Deltax>=h/(4pi*Delta(mv)

=>Deltax>=h/(4pi*mDeltav)

=>Deltax>=(6.626xx10^(-34)cancel(kg)*m^(cancel(2))*cancel(s^(-2))*cancel(s))/(4pixx9.11xx10^(-31)cancel(kg)xx0.340cancel(m)*cancel(s^(-1)))

=>Deltax>=1.70xx10^(-4)m

Note that Delta(mv)=m*Deltav because m is the mass of the electron which will remain constant at all time.