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Qmechanic ♦
Qmechanic ♦
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I am using the book Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems by STEPHEN T. THORNTON, JERRY B. MARION, page 88, and they say:

"We can conceivably measure the position of an electron by scattering a light photon from the electron. The wave character of the photon precludes an $\textit{exact}$ measurement, and we can determine the position of the electron only within some uncertainty $\Delta x$ related to the extent (i.e. the wavelength) of the photon."

"We can conceivably measure the position of an electron by scattering a light photon from the electron. The wave character of the photon precludes an $\textit{exact}$ measurement, and we can determine the position of the electron only within some uncertainty $\Delta x$ related to the extent (i.e. the wavelength) of the photon."

$\textbf{Question 1}$

What exactly do they mean about the $\textit{wave character of the photon}$? What characteristic are they referring to?

$\textbf{Question 2}$

I guess Q1 would shed light on to this question: Why is the uncertainty related to the wavelength of the photon that is being used to measure it?

I know about the $\textbf{Heisenberg Uncertainty principle}$ and I know about $\Delta p$ part of the principle and that photons add momentum to the electron per hit. I am wanting to find photons cant give an accurate position of a $\textit{still}$ electron at the place of where it got hit by the photon, what happens afterwards is not important.

I would really appreciate any answer that would shed some light onto my problem.

I am using the book Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems by STEPHEN T. THORNTON, JERRY B. MARION, page 88, and they say:

"We can conceivably measure the position of an electron by scattering a light photon from the electron. The wave character of the photon precludes an $\textit{exact}$ measurement, and we can determine the position of the electron only within some uncertainty $\Delta x$ related to the extent (i.e. the wavelength) of the photon."

$\textbf{Question 1}$

What exactly do they mean about the $\textit{wave character of the photon}$? What characteristic are they referring to?

$\textbf{Question 2}$

I guess Q1 would shed light on to this question: Why is the uncertainty related to the wavelength of the photon that is being used to measure it?

I know about the $\textbf{Heisenberg Uncertainty principle}$ and I know about $\Delta p$ part of the principle and that photons add momentum to the electron per hit. I am wanting to find photons cant give an accurate position of a $\textit{still}$ electron at the place of where it got hit by the photon, what happens afterwards is not important.

I would really appreciate any answer that would shed some light onto my problem.

I am using the book Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems by STEPHEN T. THORNTON, JERRY B. MARION, page 88, and they say:

"We can conceivably measure the position of an electron by scattering a light photon from the electron. The wave character of the photon precludes an $\textit{exact}$ measurement, and we can determine the position of the electron only within some uncertainty $\Delta x$ related to the extent (i.e. the wavelength) of the photon."

$\textbf{Question 1}$

What exactly do they mean about the $\textit{wave character of the photon}$? What characteristic are they referring to?

$\textbf{Question 2}$

I guess Q1 would shed light on to this question: Why is the uncertainty related to the wavelength of the photon that is being used to measure it?

I know about the $\textbf{Heisenberg Uncertainty principle}$ and I know about $\Delta p$ part of the principle and that photons add momentum to the electron per hit. I am wanting to find photons cant give an accurate position of a $\textit{still}$ electron at the place of where it got hit by the photon, what happens afterwards is not important.

I would really appreciate any answer that would shed some light onto my problem.

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Reuben
Reuben
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Why cant we find exact position of an electron-Heisenberg Uncertainty principle?

I am using the book Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems by STEPHEN T. THORNTON, JERRY B. MARION, page 88, and they say:

"We can conceivably measure the position of an electron by scattering a light photon from the electron. The wave character of the photon precludes an $\textit{exact}$ measurement, and we can determine the position of the electron only within some uncertainty $\Delta x$ related to the extent (i.e. the wavelength) of the photon."

$\textbf{Question 1}$

What exactly do they mean about the $\textit{wave character of the photon}$? What characteristic are they referring to?

$\textbf{Question 2}$

I guess Q1 would shed light on to this question: Why is the uncertainty related to the wavelength of the photon that is being used to measure it?

I know about the $\textbf{Heisenberg Uncertainty principle}$ and I know about $\Delta p$ part of the principle and that photons add momentum to the electron per hit. I am wanting to find photons cant give an accurate position of a $\textit{still}$ electron at the place of where it got hit by the photon, what happens afterwards is not important.

I would really appreciate any answer that would shed some light onto my problem.