Zeeman effect in hydrogen treated in classical physics with classical zero-point radiation

TL;DR

This paper explores the Zeeman effect in hydrogen using classical physics with zero-point radiation, aiming to explain phenomena traditionally attributed to quantum mechanics through a classical framework.

Contribution

It presents a classical physics approach incorporating zero-point radiation to analyze the Zeeman effect, challenging the necessity of quantum assumptions for low-energy hydrogen states.

Findings

Classical zero-point radiation can account for the Zeeman effect in hydrogen.

The approach reproduces space quantization without quantum postulates.

Relates classical models to quantum phenomena like Stern-Gerlach experiment.

Abstract

The Zeeman effect for the low resonant energy states of hydrogen is treated with classical electrodynamics including classical zero-point radiation. The electron is regarded as a classical charged particle in a Coulomb potential. The "space quantization" of old quantum theory, the Sommerfeld relativistic result, and the Stern-Gerlach experiment are all considered.