Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle tells us that Simply observing a subatomic particle, such as an electron, will alter its state. This phenomenon will prevent us from knowing exactly where it is and how it moves. Likewise, this theory of the quantum universe can also be applied to the macroscopic world to understand how unexpected our reality can be.

It is often said that life would be very boring if we could predict exactly what is going to happen at any given moment. Werner Heisenberg was precisely the first person to demonstrate this to us scientifically. What’s more, thanks to him we knew that in the microscopic fabric of quantum particles everything is intrinsically uncertain. As much or more than in our own reality.

This principle was enunciated in 1925 when Werner Heisenberg was barely 24 years old. Eight years after this formulation, this German scientist was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. Thanks to his work, modern atomic physics was developed. However, It should be said that Heisenberg was more than just a scientist: his theories contributed, in turn, to the advancement of philosophy.

Hence Its uncertainty principle is also an essential starting point to better understand the social sciences. and that area of ​​psychology that also allows us to understand our complex reality a little more…

What is the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?

Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle could be summarized in a philosophical way as follows: In life, as in quantum mechanics, we can never be sure of anything. This scientist’s theory showed us that classical physics was not as predictable as we always believed.

It made us see that at a subatomic level, It is impossible to know at the same moment where a particle is, how it moves and what its speed is.. To understand it better we will give an example.

When we drive a car, we just have to look at the odometer to know how fast we are going.. Likewise, we are also clear about our position and direction while we are driving. We speak in macroscopic terms and without claiming great precision. Now, in the quantum world this does not happen. Microscopic particles do not have a specific position or a single direction. In fact, they can go to infinite places at the same time. How then can we measure or describe the motion of an electron? Heisenberg showed that To locate an electron in space, the most common thing was to bounce photons off it.Now, with this action what was actually achieved was to completely alter that element, with which a precise and accurate observation could never be carried out. It’s as if we had to brake the car to measure the speed.

To better understand this idea we can use a simile. The scientist is like a blind person who uses a medicine ball to know how far away a stool is and what its position is.. He throws the ball everywhere until it finally hits the object.

But that ball is so strong that what it manages to do is hit the stool and move it. We will be able to measure the distance, however we will no longer really know where the object was.

The observer modifies quantum reality

The Heisenberg principle in turn shows us an obvious fact: People influence the location and speed of small particles. Thus, this German scientist, also inclined to philosophical theories, used to say that matter is neither static nor predictable. Subatomic particles are not “things,” but tendencies.

Furthermore, sometimes When the scientist is more certain of where an electron is, the more distant it is and the more complex its movement is. The mere fact of proceeding with a measurement already produces change, alteration and chaos in that quantum fabric.

For this reason, and Being clear about Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and the disturbing influence of the observer, particle accelerators were created.. Now, it should be said that currently, studies such as the one carried out by Dr. Aephraim Steinberg from the University of Toronto in Canada, show us new advances. Even though the uncertainty principle remains valid (i.e. mere measurement alters the quantum system) very interesting advances are beginning to occur in the measurements by controlling the polarizations a little better.

The Heisenberg principle, a world full of possibilities

We pointed it out at the beginning. Heisenberg’s principle can be applied to many more contexts beyond quantum physics. After all, uncertainty is the conviction that many of the things around us are not predictable. That is, they escape our control or even more so: we ourselves alter them with our actions.

Thanks to Heisenberg, we put aside classical physics (where everything was under control in a laboratory) to suddenly give way to quantum physics where the observer is a creator and viewer at the same time. That is to say, Human beings suddenly act on their context and are able to promote new and fascinating possibilities..

The uncertainty principle and quantum mechanics will never give us a single result for an event. When the scientist observes, multiple possibilities appear before him. Trying to predict something accurately is almost impossible, and that, curiously, is an aspect that Albert Einstein himself opposed. He didn’t like to think that the Universe was governed by chance.

However, today there are many scientists and philosophers who remain fascinated with Heinsenberg’s uncertainty principle. Invoking this unpredictable factor of quantum mechanics makes reality less deterministic and we become freer entities..

You might be interested…