Statistical form of Heisenberg Uncertainty

1. Feb 18, 2006

Confused2

I don't like to assume things without checking..

Is the distribution really a 'normal distribution' aka Gaussian? Is this an experimental result or a 'good enough' assumption?

2. Feb 18, 2006

vanesch

Staff Emeritus
You must be talking about something specific... but left us guessing what.
Could you elaborate ?

3. Feb 18, 2006

Confused2

Elaborate, yes of course, sorry.. I knew what I meant, at least I thought I did..

In the background is an LC network resonant at f primed with N photons of energy E ( = h f ) . We 'know' from the classical result that that radiation from any point in this network will 'look' sinusoidal. In fairness to the people who are kind enough to give time to this forum the question has to be simple.. the whole population is my problem..

Basically .. when I have detected a single photon at (say) x then I hoped to be able to say that the momentum (indirectly the energy) lies within the range given by a distribution of the form Xbold where Xbold is the answer to the question.

By superposing a lot of Xbolds .. hopefully I'd get my sinewave back. A vain hope? Xbold remains the answer to the intended question.. anything extra is a bonus.