Dimensionless numbers | Fundamental constants

Fine-structure constant

In physics, the fine-structure constant, also known as the Sommerfeld constant, commonly denoted by α (the Greek letter alpha), is a fundamental physical constant which quantifies the strength of the electromagnetic interaction between elementary charged particles. It is a dimensionless quantity, independent of the system of units used, which is related to the strength of the coupling of an elementary charge e with the electromagnetic field, by the formula 4πε0ħcα = e2. Its numerical value is approximately 0.00729735 ≃ 1/137.0360, with a relative uncertainty of 1.5×10−10. The constant was named by Arnold Sommerfeld, who introduced it in 1916 when extending the Bohr model of the atom. α quantified the gap in the fine structure of the spectral lines of the hydrogen atom, which had been measured precisely by Michelson and Morley in 1887. (Wikipedia).

Fine-structure constant
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From playlist Parth G's #shorts

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