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Avatrin
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Homework Statement
A neutron in the nucleus of an atom can move in a range which is about five femtometers long. Use Heisenberg's uncertainty principle to calculate what velocities one can expect to measure.
Homework Equations
[tex]\sigma_p \sigma_x \geq \frac{\hbar}{2}[/tex]
[tex]p = \hbar k[/tex]
Probably others as well. I am quite sure this problem is non-relativistic since other problems in the same problem set specify that the particles in those problems are supposed to be moving in non-relativistic speeds.
The Attempt at a Solution
I define the center of the area where the particle can move to be x = 0, and I assume the problem is one-dimensional (it is not specified, and not obvious from the text alone). So, the likelihood of finding the particle in [itex](-\sigma_p,\sigma_p)[/itex] is 64%. Since I am not given any equation, I say that [itex]\sigma_p = 1fm[/itex] sounds reasonable. Then I get:
[tex]\sigma_p \geq \frac{\hbar}{2.0 fm} = 5.27 * 10^{-20} Js/m [/tex]
[tex]\frac{\sigma_p}{m_n} \geq \frac{\hbar}{2.0 fm * m_n} = 0.105c [/tex]
Now, I am stuck. I do not even know the expectation value of momentum. How am I supposed to get the expectation value of velocity? I probably have to use de Broglie's relations somewhere, but I am not sure where.
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