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Raparicio
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Does anybody knows a good reference or book that explains the "fine structure constant"?
Try Wikepedia or just google it:Raparicio said:Does anybody knows a good reference or book that explains the "fine structure constant"?
Andrew Mason said:
The fine structure constant is just a dimensionless number:Raparicio said:I've tried both, but there's no enought information.
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The fine structure constant, also known as the Sommerfeld constant, is a dimensionless number that characterizes the strength of the electromagnetic interaction between elementary particles. It is denoted by the symbol α (alpha) and has a value of approximately 1/137.
The fine structure constant is calculated by dividing the square of the elementary charge (e) by the product of the speed of light (c) and Planck's constant (h). This can also be expressed as α = e^2/(4πε0hc), where ε0 is the permittivity of free space.
The fine structure constant plays a crucial role in understanding the fundamental forces of nature, particularly the electromagnetic force. It also appears in many equations and constants in physics, such as the Rydberg constant and the Bohr radius.
No, the value of the fine structure constant has been found to be constant and universal in all experiments and observations. However, some theories, such as string theory, suggest that the constant may vary in different universes or at different points in time.
The fine structure constant only describes the strength of the electromagnetic force, and does not directly relate to the strong and weak nuclear forces. However, some theories, such as Grand Unified Theories, attempt to unify all three forces and predict a relationship between them involving the fine structure constant.