Wave-Particle Duality And Uncertainty Principle - SS3 Physics Lesson Note

Wave-particle duality is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics that describes the behaviour of particles as both wave-like and particle-like depending on how they are observed or measured. It suggests that particles can behave as waves and have wave-like properties, such as interference and diffraction, and can also behave as particles and have particle-like properties, such as position and momentum.

The uncertainty principle, also known as Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, is another fundamental concept in quantum mechanics. It states that the more precisely one can know the position of a particle, the less precisely one can know its momentum, and vice versa. In other words, the more precisely one tries to measure one property of a particle, the less precise the measurement of the other property will be.

This principle has significant implications for the behaviour of particles at the atomic and subatomic levels. It suggests that there are inherent limits to the precision of measurements in quantum mechanics and that the behaviour of particles is inherently probabilistic. The uncertainty principle has also led to the development of new technologies, such as the scanning tunnelling microscope, which can be used to study the structure of atoms and molecules with incredible precision.