The key difference between De Broglie and Heisenberg uncertainty principle is that the De Broglie uncertainty principle indicates the relationship between the mass of a particle and velocity and its dependence on wavelength, whereas Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle quantifies the limitations that cause the detection of the position and momentum of a particle at the same time.
De Broglie wavelength is an important concept in the study of quantum mechanics. It is associated with an object in relation to the momentum and mass of the object. Generally, this wavelength is inversely proportional to the force.
CONTENT
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is De Broglie Principle
3. What is Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
4. De Broglie vs Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in Tabular Form
5. Summary – De Broglie vs Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
What is De Broglie Principle?
De Broglie’s principle was discovered by Louis Victor Pierre Raymond, who was a French physicist and aristocrat. He made innovative contributions to quantum theory. Moreover, he postulated the wave nature of electrons and suggested that all matter has wave properties. This is also named as the De Broglie hypothesis. It is an example of wave-particle duality and forms a central part of quantum mechanics theories. He won the Nobel prize for physics in 1929 for this discovery.
De Broglie equation typically depicts the relationship between the mass of a particle and velocity and its dependence on wavelength. De Broglie relation describes the relationship between the wavelength of an electron and its momentum. This can be given by p = h/ λ. In this equation, “h” is the Plank’s constant, and λ is the wavelength.
Figure 01: Louis De Broglie
This equation is significant since it allows us to calculate the wavelength of any moving object. When the speed of the electron decreases, the wavelength increases. We can use this equation to determine the de Broglie wavelength of a particle having a known mass and velocity. As the first step, we need to multiply velocity by the mass (this gives particle’s momentum as its product. Then Planck’s constant is divided by the momentum that can be found in this first step. The result of this second step gives the exact de Broglie wavelength of the particle.
What is Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle?
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle is an important principle in quantum mechanics. It asserts the fundamental limit to the accuracy in which the values for certain pairs of physical quantities of a particle, including positrons and momentum, are easy to predict from the initial condition.
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle was introduced by Werner Heisenberg in 1927. This describes that the more precisely the position of some particle is established, the less precisely its momentum can be forecast from initial conditions and vice versa.
The application of the principle can be described as a macroscopic application that humans can experience. There are two alternative frameworks in quantum physics that offer different explanations for the uncertainty principle. Moreover, wave mechanics can picture the uncertainty principle, which is more visually intuitive.
What is the Difference Between De Broglie and Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle?
De Broglie and Heisenberg’s principle are two important principles in quantum mechanics. The key difference between De Broglie and Heisenberg uncertainty principle is that the De Broglie uncertainty principle indicates the relationship between the mass of a particle and velocity and its dependence on wavelength, whereas Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle quantifies the limitations that cause the detection of the position and momentum of a particle at the same time.
Below is a summary of the difference between De Broglie and Heisenberg uncertainty principle in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – De Broglie vs Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
De Broglie principle was discovered by Louis Victor Pierre Raymond, who was a French physicist and aristocrat. Heisenberg uncertainty principle is an important principle in quantum mechanics, and it is any variety of mathematical inequalities. The key difference between De Broglie and Heisenberg uncertainty principle is that the De Broglie uncertainty principle indicates the relationship between the mass of a particle and velocity and its dependence on wavelength whereas Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle quantifies the limitations that cause the detection of the position and momentum of a particle at the same time.
Reference:
1. “De Broglie Equation.” BYJUS, 20 Sept. 2022.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Broglie Big” By Unknown author – Physics.umd.edu (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia