Visualizing the Fine Structure Constant (Part 2) #shorts by Parth G

#shorts - here's a really fun way to visualize the Fine Structure Constant, often given the label "alpha".

It happens to be equal to a ratio of two very particular energies, which in this video we've called E1 and E2.

E1 is the energy required to bring together a pair of electrons (initially infinitely far apart) until they are a distance d away from each other. The reason this takes energy is because electrons are negatively charged and so repel each other due to the electrostatic force. By bringing them together, we are fighting this repulsion and thus need to put in energy.

E2 is the energy that a photon has when its wavelength is exactly 2pi multiplied by the same distance d mentioned above. It's worth recalling that photons are packets of light or electromagnetic radiation, that carry an energy related to the Planck constant, the speed of light, and the photon's wavelength.

It's interesting that the same distance d shows up in both the energies, it turns out that the Fine Structure Constant is equal to E1/E2!

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[nevermindnever]

I've come across this in a book called 'The God Particle', where the author said, "If you have any problem, just hold up a sign that says '137' and any physicist who notices it will come to your rescue"

[DrDeuteron]

It's also goes as the ratio of the Compton wavelength of the electron to the Bohr radius.

[rajgupta]

bhaiya can you please make a video on higgs field...?

[JMU]

Thanks for the video. I like the explanation of the FSC being the ratio between 2 energies. E1 2 repelling electrons / E2 amount energy of a photon over a distance 2 pi -> alpha =e^2 / h(bar)*c = ~1/137. Would this mean that there are 137 (energy) steps per electron shell that an electron could take in?

[aiversuing]

This alone could win the veritasium contest

[JulianUnzueta-EW]

I was hoping for an animated version of the visualization…

[nemuritai]

The % chance of e- emitting or absorbing a photon = the % energy needed for two e- to fly apart(interact). The photon wagelength d is the max energy at that distance, more energy would be a shorter wavelength. A photon cannot have known energy(ie. momentum) and distance simultaneously, better to think of it as a % chance..

[rayrayborne]

I think it would be better explained by saying "the number of protons in the nucleus multiplied by the fine structure constant squared" By saying the "square of" at the beginning it inplies the protons are squared instead of the product of protons by FSC, order of operations has to be clearly defined.

[arunmajhi]

You gained a subscriber.... excellent job....

[keith.anthony.infinity.h]

Try dividing the rest mass energy of the electron by a photon with a wavelength of (2*π*(electron radius)). Divide this wavelength by .00729 you will derive the Compton wavelength for the electron. There is much that I would like to show as well on my personal research of the constant. I think that the fine structure constant as a value goes beyond just electrons and electromagnetic fields. I feel they describe a certain type of photon which is unique in terms of its wavelength as you pointed out in the video. I call these types of photons, circumferential or winding photons. Of course all photons move at a wavelength that is equal to a certain circumference. But what makes winding photons relevant is the fact they can move at a circumference that is equivalent to any distance within a field like an electric field, a gravitational field, and etc. If you are interested in meeting up we can schedule.

[ZingZang]

Alpha = kq^2/hc and E1 = kq^2/r and E2 = hc/r. Neat! Love seeing it this way!

Then can we do the same with forces where alpha = F1/F2?
if Coulomb force F1 = kq^2/r^2, does it mean F2 = hc/r^2 is a force? :O

[anilsharma-evmy]

Sorry for inner light spectrum ????how we divided energy level against atmospheric pressure

[mahamkamal]

Assalam o alikum parth bro.. I love your work.. Please keep it up ... The videos you make help me a lot in understanding the world around me.. .. ( I have just started my university studies, so yeah, I find these things a bit hard though, but a lot interesting) may Allah give us knowledge ... Amen..

Love from Pakistan ..😍😍😍

[ricardodelzealandia]

Hmm. I was going to ignore these 1 minute things, thinking what could you possibly learn. And there you go. Learned something. Still, I'd rather this was expanded on.

[paulpetersen]

Dude. What's that piece of music?

Tag me and please reply, I want to listen to the whole thing.

[eduardogaldino]

Tell me now days, the Alpha 1/137, is ratio of energy between particles? Well if you saying it is, I will have to agree w/ it, finally found the result! Thank you!

[mehdimirza]

Excellent knowledge is power
Knowledge is always better than money
If knowledge and education is expensive you want to try ignorance

[roshini]

Can you make a simple video about Fermi's Golden Rule and Perturbation Theory?

[teknikalyfit]

1st video is explanatory, but this one is confusing.

[kimberlymarkus]

Do u have any tips. Most of the time i understand the theorie but i struggle with the math side of physics