Uncertainty Principle: Position Uncertainty of Electrons

GAGS · Jun 27, 2008

In application of uncertainity principle i read,if we suppose electron in a sphere of radius r then we assume unertainity of position as delta 'r',instead of taking diameter as uncertainity.Though it will not effect the calculations at all,but conceptually and physically what could be the reason behind it.I was unable to come to any result.

Fredrik · Jun 27, 2008

I don't see the point of that sort of calculations, but once you've decided to do a calculation like that, it doesn't matter if you use the radius or the diameter since you're only trying to estimate an order of magnitude.

malawi_glenn · Jun 27, 2008

You might want to look for a derivation of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle from the commutator between x and p, it is quite trivial. You will find many pages if you google.

You can also look it up in almost any Quantum mechanics textbook, Sakurai - Modern Quantum mechanics, for instance.

Uncertainty Principle: Position Uncertainty of Electrons

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