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University
Heisenberg would start his venture by attending the University of Munich. He became a student of Arnold Sommerfeld and Max Born, which may have led to the theory of quantum mechanics. Arnold Sommerfeld was an expert on atomic spectroscopy. Max Born who formulated the crystal dynamic lattice allowing the imposition of quantum rules.
Beyler, R. (2023b, May 1). Werner Heisenberg | Biography, Nobel Prize, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Werner-Heisenberg -
Zur Quantenmechanik
Born, M., & Jordan, P. (1925). Zur Quantenmechanik. The European Physical Journal A, 34(1), 858–888. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01328531 -
Founding Quantum Mechanics
In 1923 Heisenberg received his doctorate with a dissertation on hydrodynamics. In 1924 he completed his habilitation allowing him to teach as a professor in Germany. Working from his first submission in July 1925, along with his assistant Pascual Jordan, developed “On Quantum Mechanics”. “On Quantum Mechanics II”, also known as the "three-man paper", was completed by November adding Born as another author, creating the foundation of quantum mechanics. -
Heisenberg's Microscope
Heisenberg proposed an experiment in his paper the Uncertainty Principle to measure an electron. This experiment became a central point for future experiments and shows the observer effect in action. Which led to him trying to measure the position of an electron with a gamma ray microscope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgoA_jmGIcA -
Nuclear Fission
During World War II, after the invasion of Poland in 1939, Heisenberg was drafted to the Army Weapons Bureau to work on nuclear energy. He would later become the director in Berlin and took the lead role in Germany’s nuclear research. There has been speculation on both sides of Germany not being able to achieve nuclear power or weapons. Some stated that he was just incompetent, and others believe that he sabotaged the experiments.