What's the volume of an electron?

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The discussion revolves around the concept of the volume of an electron, a topic situated at the intersection of quantum mechanics and particle physics. Participants explore the implications of the uncertainty principle on defining volume for such a fundamental particle.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants question the applicability of the concept of volume to an electron, considering the effects of the uncertainty principle. There are inquiries about the shape of an electron and how that might relate to its volume. Some mention the challenges of defining a volume for a particle with quantum characteristics.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with various interpretations being explored. Some participants have provided insights into the uncertainty principle and its implications for measuring properties of electrons. There is a recognition of the complexity involved in defining the volume of an electron, particularly in relation to its assumed shape.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the lack of clear definitions and the challenges posed by quantum mechanics, including the uncertainty principle. References to external searches for information on electron volume and radius highlight the ambiguity in the topic.

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What's the volume of an electron?
 
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I would suspect that the concept of "volume" wouldn't apply to something so small that the uncertainty principle comes into play.

Do you have some suggestion as to what "shape" an electron is?
 
how does the uncertainty principle affect volume?
 
The uncertainty principal says that the "error in position" times the error in "error in speed" equals Plank's constant/mass (I think that's right- anyway, inversely proportional to mass) so for something as light as an electron, it is impossible to determine, exactly, or even very accurately, the position and, so, the volume of an electron.

Having said that, I immediately "googled" on "volume of electron" and got all sorts of things about "volume of electron beam", "volume of electron density", etc. that aren't about individual electrons.

When I "googled" on "radius of electron", I found this interesting bit: "In the 1980's, new techniques were developed to confine electrons in magnetic traps, it being possible to confine single electrons for lengthy periods. In the 1990's, the new technology enabled Nobel Prize winner, Hans Dehmelt, to set limits for the electron radius as being between 1 x 10-19m and 1 x 10-22m."

If you ASSUME that the electron is a sphere, then you can calculate it's volume from that. Again, it's not clear to me how one would determine (or even define!) the "shape" of something of quantum dimensions.
 

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