An electron traveling at 5.3×105 m/s has an uncertainty in its velocity of 2.17×105 m/s .

Question

What is the uncertainty in its position?

Answer 1

Note that the given speed is much less than the speed of light, so we can ignore relativistic effects.

 

Δx Δp_x ≥ h / 4π

 

Δx ≥ h / 4πΔp_x

 

Δp_x = mΔv_x

 

Δx ≥ h / 4πmΔv_x

 

Now just plug in the numbers into this equation and get the final answer.

 

m = rest mass of electron = 9.11 x 10^-31 kg

Δv_x = 2.17 x 10⁵ m/s

h = 6.63 x 10^-34 Js

 

You should be able to finish from here.