Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty

As an engineering student, I have come across this theory at least once. For those with not even a faint idea about what this is: Heisenberg came up with a theory (which he proved with the help of heavy math equations) that for an electron, either its velocity or its position can be found out with perfect accuracy. So basically if you know where an electron is, you have no idea how fast it is going and if you know how fast it is going you can’t pinpoint it’s exact location.

During a short trip by car recently, I realized that this is not only applicable to particles in physics but also to our perception of space and time. We began our journey early in the morning and knew by what time we had to reach our destination. We kept a track of time by counting down the numbers of hours left to reach our destination. ‘We should get there in the next 5 hours’ to ‘just half an hour more’. While we did enjoy the beautiful scenery on the drive, we didn’t really have a sense of place. This feeling would have been more profound if we were to travel by an air. One moment here, the next moment there.

On the contrary ever since we returned from our journey, I’ve been at home. Stuck in the same place. Waking up in the same bed, helping Maa make food in the same kitchen, studying on the same study table (for 10 mins before I shift to the bed). I’m totally aware of my surroundings, but now I have no clue as to how the days are passing by. I am just waking up, taking in the beauty of the morning, smiling at the flowers in the balcony, trying to study and poof the day ends. It’s as if I’m a point stuck on the fabric of time with laps of time rushing by like the flowing water.

If only we humans were different from mere particles and knew how to take in the space around us and the time passing by all together.

Love,

V

Originally published at http://mylocalchronicles.wordpress.com on November 29, 2020.