Experimental Demonstrator of the Uncertainty Principle

Abstract

The goal of this project was to create an intuitive and clear demonstrator of the defining properties of quantum mechanics using single slit diffraction of light, which has quantum mechanical properties because of light’s waveparticle duality. In this report we will describe the process and thoughts behind our project of creating a portable demonstration of the uncertainty principle. By designing and building both a physical setup with a laser, a slit, mirrors, lenses, beam-splitters, attenuators and cameras, and developing software which displays images from the cameras in a clear user interface with calculations we hope that students from high schools and gymnasiums that visit Vetenskapens Hus at Alba Nova will learn something new while using the demonstrator