A relook at radiation by a point charge. II

Abstract

Efforts to suggest a classical model for the hydrogen atom are discouraged by a conclusion, based on the principles of electrodynamics, that an accelerating charged particle necessarily radiates. In this paper, we continue our re-examination of this conclusion. We examine the standard electric field formula and difficulties associated with it, for an accelerating source. Conventionally, the Larmor formula is obtained from the Poynting vector. We obtain this Larmor formula by finding rate of change of potential energy in the given volume. We feel that, in this task, the logic is weak and our assumptions are difficult to justify. We have to conclude that the statement, radiation makes classical circular orbits unstable is difficult to justify theoretically. Then circular orbits with all radii, with matching velocities, should be allowed classically. We try to give some justification for Bohr postulates, then only certain radii will be allowed resulting in discrete energy states. We conclude that, for radiation study, it is advisable to calculate change in total energy of the system instead of following a theorem-based approach. We require complete and well defined systems to evolve a classical picture, which makes it desirable to study a simple two-particle system of hydrogen atom.