CHEMISTRY COMMUNITY

The hydrogen atom has a radius of approximately 0.05 nm. Assume that we know the position of an electron to an accuracy of 1 % of the hydrogen radius, calculate the uncertainty in the speed of the electron using the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

How do I find the uncertainty in the position first? I know once I find it I can just calculate the uncertainty in velocity, but I am struggling on how to find deltax.

If you know the radius of a Hydrogen atom, you can just find 1% of that to find your uncertainty. In this case it would be .05nm * .01= 5*10^-13, which would be your uncertainty position.

Since it says that we know the position of an electron to an accuracy of 1 % of the hydrogen radius, and the radius is 0.05 nm, the uncertainty in position is
.01(.05 nm)= 5 x 10^-13 m. From there, you can find delta(v).