Werner heisenberg 2

Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976)

By Khalil Grinds

  • Date of Birth

    Werner Heisenberg was born in Würzburg, Germany. His father was Kasper Ernst August Heisenberg, and his mother was Annie Wecklein. Heisenberg grew up reading the philosophy of Plato and even stated "I think that modern physics has definitely decided in favor of Plato. In fact the smallest units of matter are not physical objects in the ordinary sense; they are forms, ideas which can be expressed unambiguously only in mathematical language" (MacTutor).

  • Appointed Lecturer at University of Copenhagen

    Heisenberg stayed a lecturer in Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen until he was appointed the professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Leipzig in 1927 (The Nobel Prize).

  • Publication of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle

    This principle presents that it can not be certain of both the position and speed of a particle. By particle it is referring to a photon and or electron (“What Is the Uncertainty Principle and Why Is It Important?”). Here is a link to a good educational video on the Uncertainty Principle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQKELOE9eY4

  • Awarded the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics

    Heisenberg was awarded the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics in 1933. It was justified under the following; "for the creation of quantum mechanics, the application of which has, inter alia, led to the discovery of the allotropic forms of hydrogen" (The Nobel Prize).

  • Uranverein

    Heisenberg was also involved in the German Nuclear Program during World War II, also known as Uranverein. It has been said that Heisenberg deliberately delayed the production of the weapons, but the true reason is still unknown.

  • Date of Death

    Werner Heisenberg contributed to the study of science in many ways within his life-time. Not only did he publish the "Uncertainty Principle" and receive the Nobel Prize award, but he also contributed to the discovery of matrix mechanics. Matrix mechanics is a formulation of quantum mechanics (LibreTexts). Years later Werner Heisenberg died on February 1st, 1976. He passed in the city of Munich, Germany.