What is "uncertain" in the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle?
A) The time period of the wave describing the particle.
B) The value of the Planck's constant.
C) The energy of the particle when it has wave properties.
D) The value of the particle's position when the particle's momentum is known precisely.
E) The exact number of protons in the nucleus.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle, "uncertain" refers to the fact that the more precisely one knows the momentum of a particle, the less precisely one can know its position, and vice versa. This is expressed as ΔxΔp ≥ h/4π, where Δx is the uncertainty in position, Δp is the uncertainty in momentum, and h is Planck's constant. Therefore, the value of the particle's position when the particle's momentum is known precisely is uncertain.

What Is "Uncertain" in the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle