Heisenberg's 1925 "Umdeutung" Paper

A Commented Translation from a Physicist's Perspective
Erscheinungsjahr 2025
ISBN: 978-3-031-96920-1
Verlag: Springer

Buch, Englisch, 118 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 213 g

Reihe: SpringerBriefs in History of Science and Technology

This book presents a meticulously crafted new translation of Werner Heisenberg’s ground-breaking 1925 paper, widely regarded as the birth “certificate” of quantum mechanics. The translation remains faithful to the original terminology and is accompanied by a particularly detailed, step-by-step commentary. These annotations are designed not only to clarify the meaning of this complex work for the modern reader but also to illuminate the reasoning behind Heisenberg’s choices, offering deep insight into the physical, conceptual, and mathematical foundations of the theory. Great care has been taken to make the calculations as explicit as possible while keeping them concise, ensuring that every essential step is clear without unnecessary complexity. This approach allows readers to grasp the logical flow of Heisenberg’s argument while appreciating the elegance of his formulation. Beyond the paper itself, the book situates Heisenberg’s work within the broader intellectual landscape of the time, tracing the intense discussions and challenges in physics that led to the birth of quantum mechanics. It also provides insight into the subsequent contributions of Born, Jordan, and Heisenberg himself that culminated in the formulation of matrix mechanics. Aimed at readers with a university-level background in quantum mechanics, this book is an invaluable resource for those who wish to delve into the motivations, conceptual developments, and intricate reasoning that led Heisenberg to construct the new quantum theory in such a unique and revolutionary way.

Zielgruppe

Upper undergraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

Giliberti, Marco

Lovisetti, Luisa

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Physik Quantenphysik
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften: Allgemeines Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften, Formalen Wissenschaften & Technik
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Physik Allgemein

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Historical and physical context.- Introduction to the commented translation.- Heisenberg’s paper.- Further comments and observations.- The dawn of a new era.

Über Autor(innen)

Marco Giliberti is an Associate Professor in History of Physics and Physics Education at the University of Milan where he teaches Relativity and Didactics of Physics through the laboratory. He conducts research in Quantum Physics and Quantum Field Theory Education, the teaching of Electromagnetism, and Physics Education through Science-Theatre. He is also involved in teacher training. He is the author of more than 90 publications in national and international journals; he is co-founder of the group “The Physics Show”, is co-author and actor of eight scientific shows, and a lesson-show about Quantum Physics, which, overall, have had more than 400 replicas in Italy and Europe. He is the author of three books: “Physics at theatre” (Aracne, 2014) and “Higgs and the physics of elementary particles” (RCS Mediagroup, 2016), “Old Quantum Theory and Early Quantum Mechanics. A Historical Perspective Commented for the Inquiring Reader” (Springer, 2024). In 2024 he received the Italian Physical Society Award for the History of Physics.

Luisa Lovisetti is a postdoctoral researcher in History of Physics and Physics Education at the University of Milan. She holds two master’s degrees, one in Mathematics and the other in Physics, both with theses focusing on historical issues. She obtained her Ph.D. in Physics, with research centered on Quantum Physics Education, with particular emphasis on its historical and cultural aspects. She is the author of the book “Old Quantum Theory and Early Quantum Mechanics. A Historical Perspective Commented for the Inquiring Reader” (Springer, 2024). In 2024 she received the Italian Physical Society Award for the History of Physics.