RichD wrote:
>
> I was doing some reading on the time-energy uncertainty principle,
> which seems more obscure
> than posiition-momentum.
Time is t.
Energy is h(nu). Frequency, nu, is 1/t.
/_\T/_\f = 1
Is that so difficult?
> The books refer
> almost entirely to the electron orbital energy levels
> in the atom. That is, the emitted wavelength
> dispersion, as the electron drops to a lower
> energy, is inversely related to the time emitted,
> in a probabilistic manner; the narrower the
> spectrum, the wider (more unpredictable) the
> time dispersion
Look up the accuracy of the 21 cm hyperfine hydrogen transition line
and its half-life, triplet to singlet hydrogen atom.
> But does the formula hold for every energy measurement? For example,
> circuit voltage -
> as on a capacitor - is a measure of energy.
> Does this uncertainty principle apply there?
> Does it place a limit on our time (frequency)
> resolution in every circumstance?
Given classical vacuum, you would know its energy content exactly -
zero. Heisenberg uncertainty populates every allowed elecetromagnetic
mode with a half-photon of uncertainty. This is directly measurable
as the Casimir effect in an etalon excluding wavelength windows. It
also fuels the Lamb shift, the electron anomalous g-factor, Rabi
vacuum oscillation, etc.
> It's not clear to me what it means, in these
> classical situations.
Corresponence Principle for classical situations.
--
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/qz4.htm
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