Heisenberg uncertainty principle

American  

noun

Physics.

1. uncertainty principle.

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Heisenberg uncertainty principle British  

/ ˈhaɪzənˌbɜːɡ /

noun

1. a more formal name for uncertainty principle

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Heisenberg uncertainty principle Cultural  

1. See uncertainty principle.

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Etymology

Origin of Heisenberg uncertainty principle

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

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.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 10, 2024

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

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 27, 2022

Here, we use the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in the simple form stated above, as developed in Probability: The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.

From Textbooks ● Aug. 12, 2015

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle tells us what the minimum uncertainty for quantum waves must be: the smaller the uncertainty in position, the larger the uncertainty in momentum – and vice versa.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 7, 2011

The force of nothing is caused by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife