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The Physical Principles of the Quantum Theory
2015 Reprint of 1930 Edition. Full Facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. In this classic account, based on lectures delivered at the University of Chicago, Heisenberg presents a complete physical picture of quantum theory. Quantum theory is a fundamental branch of physics which describes physical phenomena at scales typical of the quantum realm of atomic and subatomic length scales, where the action is on the order of the Planck constant. At these scales, many everyday concepts concerning physical objects and energy (including the photons making up visible light) are believed to behave and interact extremely differently than is usually seen in daily life.
194 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1930
About the author
Werner Heisenberg
98 books403 followersWerner Heisenberg (AKA W. Heisenberg) was a German theoretical physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and is best known for asserting the uncertainty principle of quantum theory. In addition, he made important contributions to nuclear physics, quantum field theory, and particle physics.
He won the 1932 Nobel prize in physics "for the creation of quantum mechanics, the application of which has, inter alia, led to the discovery of the allotropic forms of hydrogen".
He won the 1932 Nobel prize in physics "for the creation of quantum mechanics, the application of which has, inter alia, led to the discovery of the allotropic forms of hydrogen".
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 22, 2017
المباديء الفيزيائية لنظرية الكم..
فيرنر هايزنبرج..
كتاب جيد لكن لا أنصح به من يقرأ عن الكوانتم لأوّل مرة، أو من ليس عنده خلفية رياضية. لأن الكتاب يحتوي على عمليات رياضية لن يفهما سوى شخص درس رياضيات وفيزياء.
فيرنر هايزنبرج..
كتاب جيد لكن لا أنصح به من يقرأ عن الكوانتم لأوّل مرة، أو من ليس عنده خلفية رياضية. لأن الكتاب يحتوي على عمليات رياضية لن يفهما سوى شخص درس رياضيات وفيزياء.
December 31, 2019
I truly recommend this book if you want to get a glimpse into quantum mechanics, and the most important principles of it, form one of the most brilliant physicists ever. Fascinating. The mathematics part may be a little hard, but all it can do is slow your reading down, otherwise it is understandable if you give it some time
September 30, 2016
Today, there are many books that explain Quantum Theory in a more refined and axiomatic manner, but there's a great advantage in hearing it from the horse's mouth. You can see throughout the book that Heisenberg compares Quantum Physics with Einstein's Relativity. They are very similar indeed in the sense that they both point to a new way of thinking; a thinking based on Logical Positivism. In a nutshell, it means, you shouldn't assume something exists or has a meaning, unless you can show a practical way to measure it. If you cannot devise a way to measure the position and momentum of an electron at the same time and definitely, then definite values for them don't exist before the measurement.
April 3, 2020
! السؤال ليس عن رأيي في الكتاب ، السؤال الأهم هو لم تُرجم هذا الكتاب في المقام الأول
- الكتاب للمتخصصين فقط !
- الكتاب للمتخصصين فقط !
December 19, 2020
Muy denso, pero muy interesante la base matemática de la teoría cuántica.
May 14, 2024
In this groundbreaking work by Werner Heisenberg, he lays out the general scheme of Quantum Theory. A theory which, relies on strict mathematical rigor to explain concepts which are prohibited by use of the tongue in language. Although this work is very fundamental to particle physics, I would recommend the works of Leonard Susskind and Richard Feynman's introductory lessons on Quantum Theory. As their works rely less on integral Calculus, and more on Algebraic expressions, being easier to read for the layman.
August 28, 2019
Writing with philosophical integrity and literary vividness, Heisenberg introduces quantum mechanics in a layman's approach with the minimal use of mathematics. The book may require some familiarity with the subject, but yet can be an enjoyable read to those unfamiliar with the physics of its theme.
November 30, 2021
A bit old-styled (no bra-ket formulation of quantum mechanics), but you always learn something new when reading from the Greats.
A must have for anyone that would like to consider himself a Physicist.
A must have for anyone that would like to consider himself a Physicist.
September 30, 2024
A KEY DEVELOPER OF QUANTUM THEORY EXPLAINS ITS “FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES”
Werner Karl Heisenberg (1901-1976) was a German theoretical physicist and won a Nobel Prize for his development of quantum mechanics.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1930 book, “The lectures which I gave at the University of Chicago in the spring of 1929 afforded me the opportunity of reviewing the fundamental principles of quantum theory. Since the conclusive studies of Bohr in 1927 there have been no essential changes in these principles, and many new experiments have confirmed important consequences of the theory… But even today the physicist more often has a kind of faith in the correctness of the new principles than a clear understanding of them. For this reason the publication of these Chicago lectures in the form of a small book seems justified.”
He says, “Although the theory of relativity makes the greatest of demands on the ability for abstract thought, still it fulfills the traditional requirements of science in so far as it permits a division of the world into subject and object… and hence a clear formulation of the law of causality. This is the very point at which the difficulties of the quantum theory begin. In atomic physics, the concepts ‘clock’ and ‘measuring rod’ need no immediate consideration…
"The concepts ‘space-time coincidence’ and ‘observation,’ on the other hand, do require a thorough revision. Particularly characteristic … is the interaction between observer and object; in classical theories it has always been assumed … its effect can be eliminated from the result by calculations based on ‘control’ experiments. This assumption is nor permissible in atomic physics; the interaction between observer and object causes uncontrollable and large changes in the system being observed… in general every experiment performed to determine some numerical quantity renders the knowledge of others illusory.” (Pg. 3)
He observes, “both matter and radiation possess a remarkable duality of character, as they sometimes exhibit the properties of waves, at other times those of particles. Now it is obvious that a thing cannot be a form of wave motion and composed of particles at the same time---the two concepts are too different.
"It is true that it might be postulated that two separate entities, one having all the properties of a particle, and the other all the properties of wave motion, were combined in some way to form ‘light.’ But such theories are unable to bring about the intimate relation between the two entities which seems required by the experimental evidence… The solution of the difficulty is that the two mental pictures...---the one of particles, the other of waves---are both incomplete and have only the validity of analogies which are accurate only in limiting cases… Light and matter are both single entities, and the apparent duality arises in the limitations of our language.” (Pg. 10)
He explains, “According to Bohr… the processes of atomic physics can be visualized equally well in terms of waves of particles. Thus the statement that the position of an electron is known to within a certain accuracy… can be visualized by the picture of a wave packet in the proper position with an approximate extension…
"The indeterminateness is to be considered as an essential characteristic of the electron, and not as evidence of the inapplicability of the wave picture... This uncertainty relation specifies the limits within which the particle picture can be applied. Any use of the words ‘position’ and ‘velocity’ with an accuracy exceeding that given by the equation is just as meaningless as the use of words whose sense is not defined.” (Pg. 13-15)
He elaborates, “The uncertainty principle refers to the degree of indeterminateness in the possible present knowledge of the simultaneous values of various quantities with which the quantum theory deals; it does not restrict, for example, the exactness of a position measurement alone or a velocity measurement alone. Thus suppose that the velocity of a free electron is precisely known, while the position is completely unknown. Then the principle states that every subsequent observation of the position will alter the momentum by an unknown and undeterminable amount such that after carrying out the experiment our knowledge of the electronic motion is restricted by the uncertainty relation.” (Pg. 20)
He notes, “The result of a future measurement of position can therefore only be predicted statistically. The mathematical representation of the physical process changes discontinuously with each new measurement; the observation singles out of a large number of possibilities one of which is the one which has happened.” (Pg. 36)
"Later, he adds, “the waves and the corpuscular pictures both possess the same approximate validity. This indeterminateness of the picture of the process is a direct result of the indeterminateness of the concept ‘observation’---it is not possible to decide, other than arbitrarily, what objects are to be considered as part of the observed system and what as part of the observer’s apparatus.” (Pg. 64)
Heisenberg’s book has value as a clear exposition of quantum theory, as well as great interest for students of the history of science.
Werner Karl Heisenberg (1901-1976) was a German theoretical physicist and won a Nobel Prize for his development of quantum mechanics.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1930 book, “The lectures which I gave at the University of Chicago in the spring of 1929 afforded me the opportunity of reviewing the fundamental principles of quantum theory. Since the conclusive studies of Bohr in 1927 there have been no essential changes in these principles, and many new experiments have confirmed important consequences of the theory… But even today the physicist more often has a kind of faith in the correctness of the new principles than a clear understanding of them. For this reason the publication of these Chicago lectures in the form of a small book seems justified.”
He says, “Although the theory of relativity makes the greatest of demands on the ability for abstract thought, still it fulfills the traditional requirements of science in so far as it permits a division of the world into subject and object… and hence a clear formulation of the law of causality. This is the very point at which the difficulties of the quantum theory begin. In atomic physics, the concepts ‘clock’ and ‘measuring rod’ need no immediate consideration…
"The concepts ‘space-time coincidence’ and ‘observation,’ on the other hand, do require a thorough revision. Particularly characteristic … is the interaction between observer and object; in classical theories it has always been assumed … its effect can be eliminated from the result by calculations based on ‘control’ experiments. This assumption is nor permissible in atomic physics; the interaction between observer and object causes uncontrollable and large changes in the system being observed… in general every experiment performed to determine some numerical quantity renders the knowledge of others illusory.” (Pg. 3)
He observes, “both matter and radiation possess a remarkable duality of character, as they sometimes exhibit the properties of waves, at other times those of particles. Now it is obvious that a thing cannot be a form of wave motion and composed of particles at the same time---the two concepts are too different.
"It is true that it might be postulated that two separate entities, one having all the properties of a particle, and the other all the properties of wave motion, were combined in some way to form ‘light.’ But such theories are unable to bring about the intimate relation between the two entities which seems required by the experimental evidence… The solution of the difficulty is that the two mental pictures...---the one of particles, the other of waves---are both incomplete and have only the validity of analogies which are accurate only in limiting cases… Light and matter are both single entities, and the apparent duality arises in the limitations of our language.” (Pg. 10)
He explains, “According to Bohr… the processes of atomic physics can be visualized equally well in terms of waves of particles. Thus the statement that the position of an electron is known to within a certain accuracy… can be visualized by the picture of a wave packet in the proper position with an approximate extension…
"The indeterminateness is to be considered as an essential characteristic of the electron, and not as evidence of the inapplicability of the wave picture... This uncertainty relation specifies the limits within which the particle picture can be applied. Any use of the words ‘position’ and ‘velocity’ with an accuracy exceeding that given by the equation is just as meaningless as the use of words whose sense is not defined.” (Pg. 13-15)
He elaborates, “The uncertainty principle refers to the degree of indeterminateness in the possible present knowledge of the simultaneous values of various quantities with which the quantum theory deals; it does not restrict, for example, the exactness of a position measurement alone or a velocity measurement alone. Thus suppose that the velocity of a free electron is precisely known, while the position is completely unknown. Then the principle states that every subsequent observation of the position will alter the momentum by an unknown and undeterminable amount such that after carrying out the experiment our knowledge of the electronic motion is restricted by the uncertainty relation.” (Pg. 20)
He notes, “The result of a future measurement of position can therefore only be predicted statistically. The mathematical representation of the physical process changes discontinuously with each new measurement; the observation singles out of a large number of possibilities one of which is the one which has happened.” (Pg. 36)
"Later, he adds, “the waves and the corpuscular pictures both possess the same approximate validity. This indeterminateness of the picture of the process is a direct result of the indeterminateness of the concept ‘observation’---it is not possible to decide, other than arbitrarily, what objects are to be considered as part of the observed system and what as part of the observer’s apparatus.” (Pg. 64)
Heisenberg’s book has value as a clear exposition of quantum theory, as well as great interest for students of the history of science.
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May 19, 2022Insert Walker White joke
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June 12, 2012Translation of the first three chapters
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January 10, 2018not for a layman, math apparatus is heavy. no rating thus not to distort the overall stat.
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May 13, 2019Mostly over my head, but odd to see phrases that sound exactly like the folk postmodernist “science” — why the mentions of “subjective” and “objective” reality? This only serves to confuse the novice and mislead the expert
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews