uncertainty principle

uncertainty principle

n.

A principle in quantum mechanics holding that increasing the accuracy of measurement of one observable quantity increases the uncertainty with which another conjugate quantity may be known.

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uncertainty principle

n

(Physics / General Physics) the. the principle that energy and time or position and momentum of a quantum mechanical system, cannot both be accurately measured simultaneously. The product of their uncertainties is always greater than or of the order of h, where h is the Planck constant Also called Heisenberg uncertainty principle indeterminacy principle

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uncertainty principle  (n-sûrtn-t)

A principle, especially as formulated in quantum mechanics, that greater accuracy of measurement for one observable entails less accuracy of measurement for another. For example, it is in principle impossible to measure both the momentum and the position of a particle at the same time with perfect accuracy. Any pair of observables whose operators do not commute have this property. As defined in quantum mechanics, it is also called Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Similar uncertainty principles hold for non-quantum mechanical systems involving waves as well.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

uncertainty principle - (quantum theory) the theory that it is impossible to measure both energy and time (or position and momentum) completely accurately at the same time indeterminacy principle scientific theory - a theory that explains scientific observations; "scientific theories must be falsifiable" quantum theory - (physics) a physical theory that certain properties occur only in discrete amounts (quanta)

Translations

uncertainty principle

n (Phys) → Unbestimmtheits- or Ungenauigkeits- or Unschärferelation f