Heisenberg uncertainty principle

noun

Physics.

1. uncertainty principle.

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

/ ˈhaɪzənˌbɜːɡ /

noun

1. a more formal name for uncertainty principle

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

1. See uncertainty principle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Heisenberg uncertainty principle¹

First recorded in 1965–70; named after W. K. Heisenberg

Example Sentences

To the chagrin of many physicists, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle determines that one cannot simultaneously know a signal's position and momentum, or voltage and current, with accuracy.

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Since a bolometer measures power, or photon number, it is not bound to add quantum noise stemming from the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in the way that parametric amplifiers are.

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Others exploit the trade-offs implicit in the famous Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

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The Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that if you simultaneously measure the position and momentum of an electron, the product of the uncertainties in those measurements must exceed a “standard quantum limit.”

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Newsweek reports that he told reporters, "The vacuum is nothing more than a space full of energy, and even if we empty it and there is nothing left, according to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, that 'nothing' has a weight. Therefore, it has energy that is condensed and transformed into particles, that is, into us."

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