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Chapter 8: Problem 44

Although Einstein made some early contributions to quantum theory, he was never able to accept the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. He stated, "God does not play dice with the Universe." What do you suppose Einstein meant by this remark? In reply to Einstein's remark, Niels Bohr is supposed to have said, "Albert, stop telling God what to do." What do you suppose Bohr meant by this remark?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Einstein's remark implies his belief in a deterministic universe, thus critiquing the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Bohr's reply reflects his acceptance and defense of the inherent uncertainties in quantum mechanics, suggesting that it's not up to humans to dictate how nature behaves.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Einstein's Quote

Einstein's quote, 'God does not play dice with the Universe,' refers to his belief that the physical laws of the universe have a determined nature, and he felt uncomfortable with the probabilistic nature inherent in quantum mechanics, especially the uncertainty principle, which states you can't simultaneously know both the position and momentum of a particle with absolute certainty. Einstein was implying that he believed the universe operates on set rules, not randomness or chance.
02

Understand Bohr's Reply

In response to Einstein, Niels Bohr said, 'Albert, stop telling God what to do.' This was said in defense of quantum mechanics, highlighting its core principle that each measured property of a particle is not predetermined, but established in the act of measurement. These uncertainties weren't due to the limitations of our measurement tools, but intrinsic to nature itself. Bohr was implying that one cannot assign deterministic attributes to God, or nature, based on human perception.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The following electron configurations correspond to the ground states of certain elements. Name each element. (a) \([\mathrm{Ar}] 3 d^{10} 4 s^{2} 4 p^{3} ;\) (b) \([\mathrm{Ne}] 3 s^{2} 3 p^{4} ;\) (c) \([\mathrm{Ar}] 3 d^{1} 4 s^{2}\) (d) \([\mathrm{Kr}] 4 d^{6} 5 s^{2} ;\) (e) \([\mathrm{Xe}] 4 f^{12} 6 s^{2}\)

For electromagnetic radiation transmitted through a vacuum, state whether each of the following properties is directly proportional to, inversely proportional to, or independent of the frequency: (a) velocity; (b) wavelength; (c) energy per mole. Explain.

A molecule of chlorine can be dissociated into atoms by absorbing a photon of sufficiently high energy. Any excess energy is translated into kinetic energy as the atoms recoil from one another. If a molecule of chlorine at rest absorbs a photon of 300 nm wavelength, what will be the velocity of the two recoiling atoms? Assume that the excess energy is equally divided between the two atoms. The bond energy of \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2}\) is \(242.6 \mathrm{kJ} \mathrm{mol}^{-1}\)

Show that the probability of finding a \(3 d_{x z}\) electron in the \(x y\) plane is zero.

Describe some of the differences between the orbits of the Bohr atom and the orbitals of the wave mechanical atom. Are there any similarities?
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