Uncertainty Principle states:

 We cannot determine accurately both

the momentum and the position of a
particle at the same time.
Quantitatively states:
ħ
 𝝈𝒙 𝝈𝒑 ≥
𝟐

 Where:
 σ𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑕𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑥.
 σ𝑝 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑕𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑝.
Proof for the Generalized
Uncertainty Principle
 For any observable A:

 (σ𝐴 ) 2 = 𝐴 − 𝐴 𝜳|(𝐴 − 𝐴 )𝜳 = 𝑓|𝑓

 (σ𝐵 )2 = 𝐵 − 𝐵 𝜳|(𝐵 − 𝐵 )𝜳 = 𝑔|𝑔
Proof for the Generalized
Uncertainty Principle
 Invoking Schwarz inequality

2
 (𝜎𝐴 ) (𝜎𝐵 )2 = (𝑓|𝑓)(𝑔|𝑔) ≥ 𝑓|𝑔 2

For any complex number z:

2
𝑧 2 = (𝑅𝑒(𝑧))2 +(𝐼𝑚(𝑧))2 ≥ 𝐼𝑚 𝑧
2
1
= (𝑧 − 𝑧 ∗)
2𝑖
Proof for the Generalized
Uncertainty Principle
 Letting 𝑧 = 𝑓|𝑔

1 2
 (𝜎𝐴 ) 2 (𝜎𝐵 )2 ≥ 𝑓|𝑔 − 𝑔|𝑓
2𝑖

Where:
𝑓|𝑔 = 𝐴𝐵 − 𝐴 𝐵
𝑔|𝑓 = 𝐵𝐴 − 𝐴 𝐵
Proof for the Generalized
Uncertainty Principle
 The commutator of the two operators:

 𝐴, 𝐵 = 𝐴𝐵 − 𝐵 𝐴

So now we have,
2
2 (𝜎 )2 ≥
1
(𝜎𝐴 ) 𝐵 𝐴, 𝐵
2𝑖
Proof for the Generalized
Uncertainty Principle
 Suppose:
ħ 𝑑
 𝐴 = 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵 = ( )
𝑖 𝑑𝑥

To determine the commutator we use a test

function f(x)
ħ 𝑑 ħ 𝑑
𝑥, 𝑝 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 𝑓 − 𝑥𝑓
𝑖 𝑑𝑥 𝑖 𝑑𝑥
ħ 𝑑𝑓 𝑑𝑓
= 𝑥 − 𝑓+𝑥 = 𝑖ħ𝑓
𝑖 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥
Proof for the Generalized
Uncertainty Principle
So…
𝑥, 𝑝 = 𝑖ħ
Now we have,
1 2 ħ 2
2
(𝜎𝐴 ) (𝜎𝐵 )2 ≥ 𝑖ħ =
2𝑖 2

ħ
𝛔𝐱 𝛔𝐩 ≥
𝟐