Question

Use wave-particle duality to qualitatively explain why there must be a limitation in the simultaneous knowledge of position and momentum as described by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.

Answer 1

The wave-particle duality, the momentum and wavelength of a particle are related as follows:

Here, h is the Planck's constant and is the wavelength of the particle.

According to wave particle duality, the particle exhibits both particle and wave nature but not simultaneously.

When an electron is subjected to Compaton scattering, we observe only the particle nature while the diffraction pattern (wave nature) is absent. If we know the wave nature we can identify the momentum.

In Davinson-Germer's experiment, we observe only wave behavoir only but not particle behavior. That means

in this experiment we cannot predict the exact position of the partilce.

''If we know the exact position of the particle, we can not prodict its momentum, and Vice versa.'' which is nothing but Heisenberg's uncertainty relation