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Heisenberg's background
Heisenberg was born on December 5, 1901 in Wurzburg, Germany. Heisenberg study physics at the University of Munich in 1920 and earned his doctorate in 1923 then continued his studies at the University of Gottingen and at Bohr's institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. During his studies, Heisenberg studied with many of the worlds leading atomic theorists such as: Sommerfeld, Max Born, and Niels Bohr. In 1927 he was appointed professor of theoretical physics in Leipzig. -
Heisenberg's famous publication of the "matrix mechanics"
Heisenberg published what is one of his most famous papers introducing matrices called on quantum-theoretical reinterpretation of kinematic and mechanical relations which was considered a breakthrough to quantum mechanics. This new theory was used as a foundation that Heisenberg and 3 other colleagues used to make a new matrix-based quantum mechanics, the "matrix Mechanics". This new quantum mechanic could account for many properties of atoms as it focused on principles that are observable. -
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
Heisenberg's next big accomplishment was the creation of the uncertainty principle which states simply, if you know everything about its momentum, then you know nothing about where the particle is located, conversely if you know everything about its location then you know nothing of its momentum; in other words we can not measure the position and momentum of a particle with a absolute certainty. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7gXgHgQGhw) -
Heisenbergs Noble Prize for Physics
Heisenberg receives a Noble Prize for Physics for his theory of quantum mechanics and the applications of it which resulted especially in the discovery of allotropic forms of hydrogen, Heisenberg was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for 1932. His studies of quantum mechanics and physics impacted the world and filled many gaps that the old understandings had. -
Heisenberg during the war
Heisenberg lived at a unfortunate time in Germany as Hitler was raising to power. Being the icon he is at the time for atomic physics, he was drafted to become the head of the German nuclear energy project which was tasked with making a atomic bomb, however the war ended before they could accomplish that. After the war America took Heisenberg as prisoner of war for sometime before releasing him. -
Heisenberg after the war
When Heisenberg was released from being a prisoner of war, he returned to work as a professor at the University of Gottingen.