Abstract
The simplest quantum composite body, a hydrogen atom, is considered in the presence of a weak external gravitational field. We define an operator for the passive gravitational mass of the atom in the post-Newtonian approximation of the general relativity and show that it does not commute with its energy operator. Nevertheless, the equivalence between the expectation values of the mass and energy is shown to survive at a macroscopic level for stationary quantum states. Breakdown of the equivalence between passive gravitational mass and energy at a microscopic level for stationary quantum states can be experimentally detected by studying unusual electromagnetic radiation, emitted by the atoms, supported by and moving in the Earth's gravitational field with constant velocity, using spacecraft or satellite.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 012154 |
| Journal | Journal of Physics: Conference Series |
| Volume | 490 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2014 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
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Breakdown of the equivalence between gravitational mass and energy for a composite quantum body. / Lebed, Andrei G.
In: Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Vol. 490, No. 1, 012154, 2014.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Breakdown of the equivalence between gravitational mass and energy for a composite quantum body
AU - Lebed, Andrei G
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The simplest quantum composite body, a hydrogen atom, is considered in the presence of a weak external gravitational field. We define an operator for the passive gravitational mass of the atom in the post-Newtonian approximation of the general relativity and show that it does not commute with its energy operator. Nevertheless, the equivalence between the expectation values of the mass and energy is shown to survive at a macroscopic level for stationary quantum states. Breakdown of the equivalence between passive gravitational mass and energy at a microscopic level for stationary quantum states can be experimentally detected by studying unusual electromagnetic radiation, emitted by the atoms, supported by and moving in the Earth's gravitational field with constant velocity, using spacecraft or satellite.
AB - The simplest quantum composite body, a hydrogen atom, is considered in the presence of a weak external gravitational field. We define an operator for the passive gravitational mass of the atom in the post-Newtonian approximation of the general relativity and show that it does not commute with its energy operator. Nevertheless, the equivalence between the expectation values of the mass and energy is shown to survive at a macroscopic level for stationary quantum states. Breakdown of the equivalence between passive gravitational mass and energy at a microscopic level for stationary quantum states can be experimentally detected by studying unusual electromagnetic radiation, emitted by the atoms, supported by and moving in the Earth's gravitational field with constant velocity, using spacecraft or satellite.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84896930067&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84896930067&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/1742-6596/490/1/012154
DO - 10.1088/1742-6596/490/1/012154
M3 - Article
VL - 490
JO - Journal of Physics: Conference Series
JF - Journal of Physics: Conference Series
SN - 1742-6588
IS - 1
M1 - 012154
ER -