FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE

HEISENBERG, WERNER KARL.

Über den anschaulichen Inhalt der quantentheoretischen Kinematik und Mechanik. (On the physical content of the quantum theoretical kinematics and mechanics).

Berlin, Julius Springer, 1927. 8vo. Contemporary full cloth with gilt lettering to spine. A small paper-label pasted to lower part of spine. Very light edgewear. Corners a bit bumped. In: 'Zeitschrift für Physik', Volume 43, p.172-198. The entire volume offered,. VII,936 pp.

First appearance of the first announcement of Heisenberg's famous "Uncertainty Principle", stating that it is impossible to determine accurately and both members of specific pairs of atomic variables simultaneously, and that the minimum product of the two variables are proportional to Planck's constant 'h' - one of the most important and celebrated findings in modern physics.

"Heisenberg's paper 'On the physical content of the quantum theoretical kinematics and mechanics' was received by the publishers on 23 March, after Bohr had returned - and had correctly criticized some substantial points in the manuscript. All the same Heisenberg's work is on a par with his discovery paper of quantum mechanics and represents a most solid contribution to its interpretation. It is THE FIRST PAPER IN WHICH THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS OBSERVABLE AND WHAT IS NOT IS QUANTITATIVELY DISCUSSED IN THE CONTEXT OF QUANTUM MECHANICS. His work marks the beginning of a subject on which volumes have since been written: the measurement problem in quantum physics." (Pais in "Niels Bohr's Times", p. 304).

Order-nr.: 43294