Sommerfeld uncertainty principle

In summary, Arnold Sommerfeld proposed a form of uncertainty principle at the first Solvay meeting in 1911. This principle stated that the time and space needed to transfer energy and momentum were inversely proportional to the quantity being transferred. This idea may have influenced Heisenberg's later development of the uncertainty principle in 1927. It is unclear how compatible this idea is with Quantum Mechanics. There is no explicit book that names this formulation, but it is similar to the concept of a "corralito" in economics where the transfer of money is delayed proportionally to the amount being transferred. This could potentially lead to a "quantum economy," although there are no probability or measurement issues involved.
  • #1
arivero
Gold Member
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Ok, I http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_genealogy_of_theoretical_physicists#Arnold_Sommerfeld that Heisenberg had studied under Arnold Sommerfeld, but I have just now learned that Sommerfeld proposed a sort of uncertainty principle in the first Solvay meeting.

That was 1911.

It seems that he proposed that the time needed to transfer a quantity of energy was inversely proportional to this quantity, and perhaps that the space needed to transfer some momentum was inversely proportional to this momentum. IE:

[tex]
\Delta t = { h \over \Delta E}
[/tex]

and perhaps

[tex]
\Delta x = { h \over \Delta p}
[/tex]

I wonder if there was some extension of this idea before coming to Heisenberg himself (and his principle). After all, from 1911 to 1927 there is some time lag. Also, I wonder how compatible is this idea with the later developed Quantum Mechanics.

Is there some book naming explicitly this formulation?
 
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  • #2
Let me add, suppose that for instance some Banking System imposes a "corralito" following the above rule, that the transfer of a quantity $ of money must be delayed always by a time proportional to 1/log($) the inverse of the number of ceros of the quantity to be transferred. Would we get then a "quantum economy"? It seems strange because there is not probability nor measure problem here.
 

What is the Sommerfeld uncertainty principle?

The Sommerfeld uncertainty principle is a principle in quantum mechanics that states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and momentum of a particle.

Who discovered the Sommerfeld uncertainty principle?

The Sommerfeld uncertainty principle was first proposed by Arnold Sommerfeld, a German physicist and mathematician, in 1915.

How is the Sommerfeld uncertainty principle different from the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle is a more general principle that states that it is impossible to know certain pairs of physical properties, including position and momentum, with absolute precision. The Sommerfeld uncertainty principle specifically applies to the position and momentum of a particle in the context of quantum mechanics.

Why is the Sommerfeld uncertainty principle important?

The Sommerfeld uncertainty principle is important because it is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics that helps us understand the behavior of particles at the subatomic level. It also has practical applications in fields such as quantum computing and cryptography.

How does the Sommerfeld uncertainty principle relate to the wave-particle duality of matter?

The Sommerfeld uncertainty principle is closely related to the wave-particle duality of matter, which is the concept that particles can exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior. The principle helps explain how particles can have a definite position and momentum at the same time, as well as how they can behave as both particles and waves.

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