## Everyday objects and Heisenberg's uncertainty

$\Delta p \Delta x\geq \frac{h}{4\pi }$

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### Everyday objects and Heisenberg's uncertainty

For large everyday objects does Heisenberg's uncertainty (indeterminacy) principle play any measurable role? Which is the right answer: 1.no, the uncertainties in position, speed, and momentum of a stationary object are not noticeable or measurable or 2. No, the uncertainties in position, speed, and momentum of a moving object are not noticeable or measurable?

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### Re: Everyday objects and Heisenberg's uncertainty

I think it's better to say that for everyday objects Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle does not play any role because the uncertainties associated with larger objects are so small in general. What this means is that we are able to precisely estimate where an everyday object will be when given things such as velocity, momentum, etc. We can do this using classical physics. But small fast things like electrons don't obey classical physics, which is why quantum mechanics was developed! Recall the example in lecture regarding you walking into a supermarket. The photons that hit you when you walk through the door censors don't throw you off course right? So there is essentially no uncertainty in your path once you've established a velocity, momentum, etc.

taywebb
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### Re: Everyday objects and Heisenberg's uncertainty

So, based on this response, it would be No because the uncertainties of a large moving object are small?

AvaGordon_4F
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### Re: Everyday objects and Heisenberg's uncertainty

Wasn't the whole thing about Heisenberg Indeterminacy the fact that at such a small level (the atomic level) our tools of measurement for position and momentum are not effective enough to not influence the measurements they take? Because I remember the professor (or maybe my TA) mentioning that its possible that one day measuring tools will improve to a point where the heisenberg indeterminacy equation will become irrelevant. So the answer would be no, because the indeterminacy is negligible when the size of the object being measured is large enough to function well with modern tools of measurement.