Question

Assertion (A): It is impossible to determine the exact position and exact momentum of an electron simultaneously.

Reason (R): The path of an electron in an atom is clearly defined.

• A. A is true but R is false.
• B. Both A and R are false.
• C. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
• D. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A

Answer 1

The correct option is A A is true but R is false.

Analyzing the assertion:

It is impossible to determine the exact position and exact momentum of an electron simultaneously.

According to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle for particles exhibiting both particle and wave nature like electrons, it is not possible to accurately determine the exact position and exact momentum at the same time.

Analyzing the reason:

The path of an electron in an atom is clearly defined.

One cannot determine the exact position and exact momentum of an electron in an atom during the same time. As the electrons in an atom are always in motion. So, it has some uncertainty in it’s momentum (or velocity) and from which it led to uncertainty in position (by using Heisenberg uncertainty principle) .

Thus, at any moment of time, we can’t tell the exact position of electron and the direction of motion of electron. Hence, the path of electrons in an atom is not clearly defined.

Conclusion :

The given assertion is true and the given reason is false.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C)