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Planck's Constant and the Fine-Structure Constant

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Abstract

ADVANCES in fundamental theory have often been guided by the principle that reliance is to be placed on the most directly observed quantities, that is, those involving least theoretical assumptions. This letter indicates the interpretations of Planck's constant (h) and of the fine-structure constant (α) which follow from this principle1.

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References

  1. A fuller treatment, with references on lengths, will appear in B. J. Phil. Sci., 1.

  2. Whyte, L. L., Z. Phys., 56, 809 (1929); “Critique of Physics” (1931). Fürth, R., Z. Phys., 57, 429 (1929). Podolsky, B., Phys. Rev., 46, 734 (1934). Born, M., Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci., (2), 6, 533 (1935). Flint, H. S., Proc. Roy. Soc., A, 159, 45 (1937).

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  3. Heisenberg, W., Z. Phys., 101, 533 (1936).

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  1. 43 Courtfield Road, London, S.W.7

    L. L. WHYTE

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  1. L. L. WHYTE
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WHYTE, L. Planck's Constant and the Fine-Structure Constant. Nature 166, 824–825 (1950). https://doi.org/10.1038/166824b0

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