Uncertainty principle for proper time and mass

Abstract

We review Bohr's reasoning in the Bohr-Einstein debate on the photon box experiment. The essential point of his reasoning leads us to an uncertainty relation between the proper time and the rest mass of the clock. It is shown that this uncertainty relation can be derived if only we take the fundamental point of view that the proper time should be included as a dynamic variable in the Lagrangian describing the system of the clock. Some problems and some positive aspects of our approach are then discussed. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.