If numerically, the momentum and position uncertainties are equal, what is the uncertainty in the velocity?

1 Answer
Oct 2, 2017

Do note that this question doesn't make physical sense. Position and momentum have different units...


We refer to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle:

#DeltaxDeltap_x >= ℏ//2#

where #Deltax# and #Deltap_x# are the uncertainties in position and momentum, respectively. #ℏ = h//2pi# is the reduced Planck's constant.

And so, if #Deltax = Deltap_x# NUMERICALLY (which makes no physical sense), then:

#(Deltap_x)^2 >= ℏ//2#

Assuming the relativistic mass is equal to the rest mass, and knowing consequently that if #p = mv#, then #Deltap = mDeltav#:

#(mDeltav_x)^2 >= ℏ//2#

#m^2(Deltav_x)^2 >= ℏ//2#

And so, the uncertainty in the speed is:

#color(blue)(Deltav_x >= (ℏ/(2m^2))^"1/2" "m"/"s")#

#ℏ# is very small, so it is very difficult to have a large uncertainty in speed unless the object is very light. For an electron:

#Deltav_x >= ((6.626 xx 10^(-34))/(4pi(9.109 xx 10^(-31))^2))^"1/2" "m"/"s"#

#>= ul(7.97 xx 10^12 " m/s")#

As expected, if we know the mass and momentum of an ELECTRON to the same uncertainty (whatever that means... they are different observables), the speed is not known well.