In atomic physics, the fine structure describes the splitting of the spectral lines of atoms due to first order relativistic corrections.
The gross structure of line spectra is the line spectra predicted by non-relativistic electrons with no spin. For a hydrogenic atom, the gross structure energy levels only depend on the principal quantum number n. However, a more accurate model takes into account relativistic and spin effects, which break the degeneracy of the energy levels and split the spectral lines. The scale of the fine structure splitting relative to the gross structure splitting is on the order of (Zα)2, where Z is the atomic number and α is the fine-structure constant, a dimensionless number equal to approximately 7.297×10−3.
The fine structure can be separated into three corrective terms: the kinetic energy term, the spin-orbit term, and the Darwinian term. The full Hamiltonian is given by
Read more about Fine Structure: Kinetic Energy Relativistic Correction, Spin-orbit Coupling, Darwin Term, Total Effect
Famous quotes containing the words fine and/or structure:
“I love you. I never told my parents that I loved them. ‘Course, they never told me that they loved me, either, which was fine with me. But I love you.”
—Paul D. Zimmerman, U.S. screenwriter, and Martin Scorsese. Masha (Sandra Bernhard)
“... the structure of our public morality crashed to earth. Above its grave a tombstone read, “Be tolerant—even of evil.” Logically the next step would be to say to our commonwealth’s criminals, “I disagree that it’s all right to rob and murder, but naturally I respect your opinion.” Tolerance is only complacence when it makes no distinction between right and wrong.”
—Sarah Patton Boyle, U.S. civil rights activist and author. The Desegregated Heart, part 2, ch. 2 (1962)