Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 39 - Wave Functions and Uncertainty - Exercises and Problems - Page 1178: 47

Answer

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Work Step by Step

$$\color{blue}{\bf [a]}$$ First, we need to find the uncertainty in the momentum and velocity of the dust particle. So we need to use the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. $$ \Delta p_x\Delta x=\dfrac{h}{2}$$ $$ \Delta p_x = \frac{h}{2 \Delta x}$$ Plug the known $$ \Delta p_x = \frac{6.63 \times 10^{-34} }{2 (1.0 \times 10^{-6} ) } = 3.315 \times 10^{-28} \; \rm{kg\cdot m/s} $$ From this, the uncertainty in velocity is: $$ \Delta v_x = \frac{\Delta p_x}{m} = \frac{3.315 \times 10^{-28}}{1.0 \times 10^{-15}} = 3.32 \times 10^{-13} \; \rm{m/s} $$ The velocity uncertainty is symmetric, so the range of velocities is $$ - 1.66 \times 10^{-13} \; {\rm m/s}\leq v_x\leq 1.66 \times 10^{-13}\rm \;m/s$$ Now, we need to determine the time it takes for the dust particle to fall 1 meter to the detection circle. We can use the kinematic formula of $$y_f-y_i=v_{iy}t+\frac{1}{2}a_yt^2$$ where $v_{iy}=0$ m/s since it falls from rest, and $a_y=-g$ $$0-1=0+\frac{-1}{2}gt^2$$ Thus, $$t=\sqrt{\dfrac{2}{g}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{2}{9.8}}=\bf 0.452\;\rm s$$ Now we need to find the horizontal distance traveled by the dust particle through this time interval of 0.452 s. $$\Delta x=v_x t$$ Plug from the velocity range; $$\Delta x=( 1.66 \times 10^{-13})(0.452)=\bf 7.50\times 10^{-14}\;\rm m$$ This horizontal spread (due to uncertainty in momentum) is extremely small and not detectable, as it is much smaller than the 1.0 $\mu$m diameter of the hole. $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ To get a detection circle diameter of 1.1 $\mu$m, the dust particle needs to move by 0.05 $\mu$m in each direction (to increase the detection circle radius from 0.50 $\mu$m to 0.55 $\mu$m). The time required to achieve this horizontal displacement under gravitational acceleration is then $$ t =\dfrac{\Delta x}{v_x}= \frac{0.05\times 10^{-6}}{1.66 \times 10^{-13} } \approx 3.01 \times 10^5 \; \rm{s} $$ This is a huge time but let's complete and find the height $d$ needed for this increase in time. $$ y_f - y_i = \frac{1}{2} g t^2 $$ $$ d= \frac{1}{2}(9.8)(3.01 \times 10^5)^2 =\color{red}{\bf 4.44\times 10^{11} }\; \rm{m} $$ This distance is significantly larger than any practical distance, even exceeding the diameter of Earth's orbit around the sun. Therefore, to observe such a small diffraction effect that increases the detection diameter by 10%, the detector would need to be positioned at an impractically large distance.
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