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A wave does not have a discrete position, it has an area, a line defining its location maybe, but never a point. You can say that a wave has a focus point (a circular wave has a center) but such a point is not where any part of the wave is - where it was maybe - but not where it now is.

The fact that an electron is a wave (we may think of it as one in certain circumstances) ensures that it does not have a definite position.

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Who said that the location and velocity of an electron couldn't be known?

Werner Heisenberg proposed the uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to simultaneously know both the exact position and exact velocity of a particle, such as an electron. This principle is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics.


According to the modern theory the exact location of what is uncertain?

According to modern physics, the exact location of an electron within an atom is uncertain. This uncertainty is described by the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and momentum of a particle.


What part of an electron is so small that it is impossible to describe exactly where it is in an atom?

The electron cloud is the part of an electron that is so small and constantly moving that it is impossible to precisely define its exact position within an atom. This is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics known as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.


What principle says that the location and velocity of electrons cannot be known at the same time?

Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle states that the more precisely we know the position of a particle (like an electron), the less precisely we can know its momentum and vice versa. This uncertainty arises from the wave-particle duality of quantum mechanics.


What is the velocity of an electron with a mass of 9.11 x 10-31 kg at a position with an uncertainty of 5x10-10 m?

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that the product of the uncertainty in position and momentum is at least equal to h/4*pi. The momentum of the electron is equal to its mass multiplied by its velocity. Using the uncertainty principle, you can calculate an approximate lower limit for the velocity.

Related Questions

Who develped a principle that says it is impossible to know both location and mass of an electron at the same time?

Werner Heisenberg developed this principle, known as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.


An uncertainty theory used with the modern electron cloud model of the atom that says it is impossible to determine an electron's exact position and speed as it moves around?

Werner Heisenberg proposed in 1927 the uncertainty principle.


What scientist said you cannot predict exactly where an electron is or what path it will take?

The scientist who said this is Werner Heisenberg. He formulated the uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to know both the exact position and momentum of a particle, such as an electron, simultaneously.


Who said that the location and velocity of an electron couldn't be known?

Werner Heisenberg proposed the uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to simultaneously know both the exact position and exact velocity of a particle, such as an electron. This principle is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics.


Proof of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle?

Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and momentum of a particle. This principle arises from the wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics, where the act of measuring one quantity disrupts the other. Mathematically, the principle is represented by the inequality Δx * Δp ≥ ħ/2, where Δx is the uncertainty in position, Δp is the uncertainty in momentum, and ħ is the reduced Planck constant.


Can you provide an example that illustrates the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle?

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that it is impossible to know both the exact position and momentum of a particle simultaneously. An example of this is when trying to measure the position of an electron, the more accurately we know its position, the less accurately we can know its momentum, and vice versa. This principle highlights the inherent uncertainty in measuring certain properties of particles at the quantum level.


What scientist said that the position and speed of an electron is uncertain?

Werner Heisenberg developed the uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to measure simultaneously both the position and the momentum of a particle with absolute precision. This principle is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics.


What does the Heisensberg uncertainty principal state?

The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of an electron within at atom's electron cloud. As soon as you determine one property, the other is rendered invalid by your means of measurement.


According to the modern theory the exact location of what is uncertain?

According to modern physics, the exact location of an electron within an atom is uncertain. This uncertainty is described by the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and momentum of a particle.


Using heisenberg's uncertainity principle prove the non existence of the electron inside the nucleus?

The Heseinberg's Uncertainty Principle states that you cannot know the position and momentum of a particle simultaneously. More rigorously stated, the product of the uncertainty of the position of a particle (Δx) and the uncertainty of its momentum (Δp) must be greater than a specified value: ∆x∆p ≥ (h/4π) Now, as the electron approaches the nucleus, it's uncertainty in position decreases (if the electron is 10nm away from the nucleus, it could be anywhere within a spherical shell of radius 10nm, but if the electron is only 0.1nm away from the nucleus, that area is greatly reduced). According to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, if you decrease the uncertainty of the electrons position, the uncertainty in its momentum must increase. This increased momentum uncertainty means that the electron will be moving away from the nucleus faster, on average. Put another way, if we do know that at one instant, that the electron is right on top of the nucleus, we lose all information about where the electron will be at the next instant. It could stay at the nucleus, it could be slightly to the left or to the right, or it could very likely be very far away from the nucleus. Therefore, because of the uncertainty principle it is impossible for the electron to fall into the nucleus and stay in the nucleus. In essence, the uncertainty principle causes a sort of quantum repulsion that keeps electrons from being too tightly localized near the nucleus.


What are applications of uncertainty principle?

Uncertainty Principle can be used to give a drawback to Bohr's Model of an atom. In that atomic model Bohr said that electrons exist in certain well defined energy levels, to give a contradiction to this statement uncertainty principle may be used.


What part of an electron is so small that it is impossible to describe exactly where it is in an atom?

The electron cloud is the part of an electron that is so small and constantly moving that it is impossible to precisely define its exact position within an atom. This is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics known as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.