An atom of silver has a radius of and the average orbital speed of the electrons in it is about . Calculate the least possible uncertainty in a measurement of the speed of an electron in an atom of silver. Write your answer as a percentage of the average speed, and round it to significant digits.

Answer :

Answer:

Percentage of uncertainty in average speed of an electron is 0.1756%.

Explanation:

Using Heisenberg uncertainty principle:

[tex]\Deltax\times \Delta p\geq \frac{h}{4\pi }[/tex]

[tex]\Delta p=m\times \Delta v[/tex]

[tex]\Deltax\times m\times \Delta v\geq \frac{h}{4\pi }[/tex]

Δx = Uncertainty in position

Δp = Uncertainty in momentum

Δv = Uncertainty in average speed

h = Planck's constant = [tex]6.626\times 10^{-34} kg m^2/s[/tex]

m = mass of electron =  [tex]9.1\times 10^{-31} kg[/tex]

We have

Δx = 2 × 165 pm = 330 pm = [tex]3.3\times 10^{-10} m [/tex]

[tex]1 pm = 10^{-12} m[/tex]

Average orbital speed of electron = v = [tex]=1.0\times 10^8 m/s[/tex]

[tex]3.3\times 10^{-10} 9.1\times 10^{-31} kg \times \Delta v\geq \frac{6.626\times 10^{-34} kg m^2/s}{4\pi }[/tex]

[tex]\Delta v\geq \frac{6.626\times 10^{-34} kg m^2/s}{4\pi \times 3.3\times 10^{-10}\times 9.1\times 10^{-31} kg}[/tex]

[tex]\Delta v\geq 1.756\times 10^5 m/s[/tex]

Percentage of uncertainty in average speed:

[tex]=\frac{\Delta v}{v}\times 100[/tex]

[tex]=\frac{1.756\times 10^5 m/s}{1.0\times 10^8 m/s}\times 100=0.1756\%[/tex]

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