-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] in reply to Eric Walker's message:
>I take it that the proposed interaction with the ZPE adds mass to the exposed nucleons and doesn't to the shielded ones? What is the possible mechanism involved here? Is there a name for the proposal? >Does the ZPE operate both within and outside of the nucleus, or just outside of it? Robin sez: The idea is that the ZPE is the provider of *all* mass to all things. However in a nucleus the outer nucleons form a sort of Casimir cavity partially shielding the inner nucleons, resulting in the inner ones having slightly less mass. The closer to the center, the greater the shielding, and hence also the greater the mass loss. Hey (light switches on)... one thing I never thought about before wrt Robin' suggestion and why helium is the p-block of elements. It goes something like this: if helium's electrons were permitted to have a p orbital, even at a high energy state - and the electron mass shielding hypothesis (above) were true, then the atom would experience a great deal of apparent mass gain from that orbital state alone - since the nucleus would be far more exposed to the ZPF. Thus, given conservation of mass - helium is not in the P-block, but unless you knew that ahead of time, you would assume it was in this group due to its position in the PT. I have never heard another better or adequate explanation of why helium (or hydrogen) cannot have a P-orbital at high energy. Jones
<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
