Quantum 101 Episode 3: Uncertainty in Quantum Mechanics

Before quantum mechanics, the laws of physics were thought to be completely deterministic. When quantum mechanics came along, everything changed.
This video discusses uncertainty as an essential property of the quantum world, one that makes quantum mechanics fundamentally different from what we call classical physics.
Join Katie Mack, Perimeter Institute’s Hawking Chair in Cosmology and Science Communication, over 10 short forays into the weird, wonderful world of quantum science. Episodes are published weekly, subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss an update.
Want to learn more about quantum concepts? Visit perimeterinstitute.ca/quantum... to access free resources.
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Perimeter Institute (charitable registration number 88981 4323 RR0001) is the world’s largest independent research hub devoted to theoretical physics, created to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Be part of the equation: perimeterinstitute.ca/donate

[@SsSs-dc4tv]

Wow, thank you so much! Wonderful series

[@davidhess6593]

Excellent! Thank you.

[@KevinMakins]

This has been such an informative series. Thanks for the concise recap.

[@carinbondar520]

Katie Mack is an amazing scientist and science communicator!

[@Pottery4Life]

Thank you.

[@ganeshreddykomitireddy5128]

Uncertainty explanation is awesome 🎉

[@bimdinaudakara717]

I got more attached to the music than the theory.

[@carljansen3118]

Being a regular pool player, I can concur, it's impossible to recreate a shot with all its spin and momentum exactly, there's always a tiny, almost quantum, difference. I like it 😁🎱❤

[@dukeallen432]

Quantum not reason for your poor play.

[@toastycrystaleclxpse3423]

​@@dukeallen432 because of quantum I got into a car accident

[@flywitch26]

Thank you

[@peterz53]

Thanks. But music was intrusive

[@prasadrao2895]

I agree. I hope PI sees the comment and removes the music.

[@Mizraab2912]

What about Non-Demolition Measurements though?

[@paulfromt.o.7384]

Very nice.

[@Inquiring_Together]

Yes, the observer is the observed. Pretty profound. Notions of acceptance/rejection, like/dislike, me/you still form the structures of society. It’s understandable, who would have thought that the fundamental foundation of what holds this all together is- uncertainty? Perhaps one day, our political and economic systems can utilize such logic. Waves of economic strength and waves of policy execution. Always in movement, always in the direction of unconditional freedom.

[@Feynman_Fries]

While I love this series and the host's way of interpreting everything complex phenomena into what can be easily understood, I'm afraid she probably miscued uncertainty principle when she explained it in terms of light affecting our measurement. That's the observer effect, not the uncertainty principle. Uncertainty in measurement is fundamental and intrinsic, rather than being an external influence. It's not that we "don't know how to measure things", it's that "universe does not allow measurement by nature."

[@PeterMorganQF]

There are many of these HUP videos on KZbin. I cited four in a paper in Annals of Physics 2020, of which I still like this Sixty Symbols video best, kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKiqqqSAgrWgrKc (the time-frequency analysis is the most accessible, but this takes us a little into the more general applicability of Fourier analysis.) If we think about Fourier transforms of probability distributions, that gives us Hilbert spaces, noncommutativity, and a Generalized Probability Theory (we used to talk about GPTs until everybody else started talking about ChatGPT), all in a classically natural way. You also need Planck's constant, which brings in special relativity, but that can also be done in a classically natural way. The physics literature has now made classical and quantum much closer to each other than even ten years ago. You can see my KZbin channel for how I think that currently plays out.

[@TXNYNOT]

do we have to relearn sciences yall

[@TXNYNOT]

SAX GOIN HARD BBY HE GOT SKILL

[@johnwalz2832]

thank you, i feel less stupid now.

[@bastiongardell9112]

The computational nanotechnology inside my body is doing this to me. What is it? Quantum Mechanics.

[@mmusya793]

God may not play dice but Chuck certainly does 😂. Like and respond if you know the reference 💯

[@paulb3151]

Ask Leonard hofstadter 🤣🤣.