Ab Initio Calculation of &amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;H and &amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;4&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;He Binding Energies

B Schaeffer

doi:10.4236/jmp.2012.311210

Abstract

The binding energies of all hydrogen isotopes have been calculated successfully for the first time in a previous paper [J Fusion Energy, 30 (2011) 377], using only the electric and magnetic Coulomb’s laws, without using the hypothetical shell model of the nucleus and its mysterious strong force. In this paper, an elementary calculation gives the order of magnitude of the nuclear interaction. The binding energies of the deuteron and the alpha particle are then calculated by taking into account the proton induced electric dipole in the neutron. The large binding energy per nucleon of 4He, as compared to that of 2H, has been explained by a larger electric attraction combined with a lower magnetic repulsion. The binding energies have been calculated without fitting, using only fundamental laws and constants, proving that the nuclear interaction is only electromagnetic.

Highlights

It is known since one century that radium releases a huge energy, one million times larger than any combustion energy, according to Pierre Curie
An elementary calculation gives the order of magnitude of the nuclear interaction
The binding energies of the deuteron and the alpha particle are calculated by taking into account the proton induced electric dipole in the neutron

Summary

Introduction

It is known since one century that radium releases a huge energy, one million times larger than any combustion energy, according to Pierre Curie. Let us compare the separation energy ratio of a proton from a neutron over that of an electron from a proton. The measured value of this ratio is 2.2 MeV 13.6 eV 160,000 , less than the million expected because the deuteron is lightly bound. The radius ratio of the hydrogen atom 0.53 10 10 m over the proton’s 1 fm 10 15 m is above 50,000. As far as I know, no theoretical formula for the proton radius exists. A simple approach using the proton Com-

Results

Discussion

Conclusion