Posted: Apr 30, 2011 12:25 pm
godsfavson wrote:If a particle is being detected with a photon having wavelength of the order x, where the particle is much larger than x(leading to accuracy in position), we find that the 'momentum imparted to this particle by the photon'(inversely proportional to wavelength) renders our measurement of its momentum inaccurate.
But since there is a simple formula for calculating the momentum of the photon, can we not compensate for the same in our results?
As before, I realize that these problems have already been worked out by the scientific community but an explanation would help further my understanding of this basic tenet of quantum theory.
Thank You
Rohit
If I want to compensate for (any component of) the imparted momentum from the photon, I need to know (that component of) the momentum of the photon. But if I know that component of the momentum, I don't know where the photon is (in that coordinate), so I don't get the required position information from the scattering event.