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Quantum Uncertainty
Project Leader: James ArnemannMembers: Jesus Gallegos, Jose Castro, Matthew
Constantino
Classical World
Waves and Particles
Deterministic
Continuous
Quantum World
Particle-Wave Duality
Probabilistic
Discrete
What is Quantum Uncertainty?
You cannot know both the momentum and the position of a particle with exact certainty
ΔpΔx≥ħ/2 (uncertainty principle)
Δp = Change in momentum
Δx = Change in position
ħ = h/2π
Now, Some Magic
First Experiment: Polarizers
½ of unpolarized light will go through a polarizer polarized in one direction
No light polarized in one direction will go through a polarizer in an orthogonal (perpendicular) direction
0prob. light comes thru
First Experiment: Polarizers
When a slanted polarizer is inserted, half goes through that one, and half goes through the third
½ prob. light comes thru
¼ prob. light comes thru
1/8 prob. light comes thru
Second Experiment: Laser
Laser pointers make dots
Δx
Second Experiment: Laser
When a laser passes through a slit, its position changes
There is an uncertainty in position (Δx)
This causes uncertainty in momentum (Δp)
If Δx gets small, Δp must be bigger
Remember ΔxΔp must be larger than or equal to ħ/2
Second Experiment: Laser
But, when the light does pass through the slit…
Δp
Δp
Δp
Δp
Second Experiment: Laser
The smaller Δx is the bigger Δp must be
The smaller the slit the more the light spreads
In Conclusion…ΔxΔp≥ħ/2 (uncertainty principle)
We can never know both variables with complete certainty
In trying to measure the position, we inevitably change the momentum and vice-versa
It took a whole lot of math to understand this however, math is a tool to help us conceptualize these abstract ideas