The term "Uncertainty Principle" is somewhat misleading and can be a source of confusion. The principle, also known as Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics discovered by Werner Heisenberg.
The Uncertainty Principle states that there is a fundamental limit to the precision with which certain pairs of physical properties, such as position and momentum, can be simultaneously known. It establishes that the more precisely one property is measured, the less precisely the other property can be known.
While the term "uncertainty" is commonly used, it does not refer to a lack of knowledge or uncertainty in the classical sense. Instead, it arises from the inherent wave-like behavior of particles in quantum mechanics. It implies that certain complementary properties of particles, such as position and momentum, cannot be precisely determined simultaneously due to the wave-particle duality. This is not a limitation of measurement technology but a fundamental aspect of the nature of quantum particles.
The wave-like nature of matter, as you mentioned, is indeed at the heart of the Uncertainty Principle. The position and momentum of a particle can be described by wave functions, and the principle arises from the mathematical formulation of these wave functions. The uncertainty arises because a particle's wave function can be spread out over a range of positions and momenta simultaneously, and the more precisely we try to measure one property, the more we disturb the other.
So, while the term "Uncertainty Principle" may not perfectly capture the underlying wave-like nature of matter, it has become a widely used term to describe this fundamental limitation in quantum mechanics. It highlights the fact that certain properties cannot be precisely determined simultaneously, not due to a lack of knowledge but due to the intrinsic nature of quantum particles.