Explaining the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and Electron Orbits

AI Thread Summary
Electrons do not orbit atomic nuclei like planets; instead, they exist as wave-like phenomena described by quantum states. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle indicates that one cannot precisely determine both the position and momentum of an electron simultaneously. This leads to the concept of an "electron cloud," where the electron's location is represented by probabilities rather than fixed points. Electrons behave more like standing waves around the nucleus, with their properties spread out rather than concentrated. Understanding these principles is essential for grasping the behavior of electrons in atoms and the nature of quantum mechanics.
  • #51
Studio T

Incidentally 'fuzzy' has nothing to do with quantum probability.

Absolutely! That I get.

You are doing fine and I am trying to steer you to how I am thinking so that you can bring it along to what you are trying to say.
 
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  • #52
So here is the first installment.

In the top sketch I have drawn a 3D representation of our twanged string going away from you from A towards B.

You can see that it is vibrating (up and down ) in first harmonic mode, so there is a node (zero vertical displacement) at A, D and B and an antinode at C and again further along between D and B.

I have also shown our test needle at various points.

At A applied on x-axis at the level of the node.

At C above the x-axis (mean level of string) but within the vibration envelope.

Now since the infinitesimal (point) section of string at A is stationary it is always at A and there is 100% probability that we will hit the string without needle, whatever time we poke it.
A similar situation occurs at D.

But at C the string has furthest to go up and down so spends the least time at any single value (point) of level.
So a random poke with our needle will have to be very lucky to encounter the string ie the probability of encountering the string is a minumum at C.

In the second sketch I have just shown a 2D graph of probability along the x-axis of our needle hitting the string, between A and D

This can be seen to be a cup shaped curve with the minimum half way at C as expected.

This idea of the probability of encountering the string if we suddenly poke in a probe in an ordinary oscillator is equivalent to the idea of the probability of encountering or finding a particle at any particular point in a quantum oscillator, which is for the next installment.

And BTW I'm in Apple County, not Cornwall, sorry - Though I wouldn't mind Padstow.
 

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  • #53
Studiot said:
And BTW I'm in Apple County, not Cornwall, sorry - Though I wouldn't mind Padstow.

Beautiful!

Although I haven't got a clue what Apple County or Padstow are.

Steve G
 

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