Any Classical Description of Nature Requires Classical Electromagnetic Zero-Point Radiation

Abstract

Any attempt to describe nature within classical physics requires the presence of Lorentz-invariant classical electromagnetic zero-point radiation so as to account for the Casimir forces between parallel conducting plates at low temperatures. However, this zero-point radiation also leads to classical explanations for a number of phenomena which are usually regarded as requiring quantum physics. Here we provide a cursory overview of the classical electromagnetic theory which includes classical zero-point radiation, and we note the areas of agreement and disagreement between the classical and quantum theories, both of which contain Planck's constant h.

17 pages

References in corpus (4)

• Blackbody Radiation and the Scaling Symmetry of Relativistic Classical Electron Theory with Classical Electromagnetic Zero-Point Radiation
• Derivation of the Planck Spectrum for Relativistic Classical Scalar Radiation from Thermal Equilibrium in an Accelerating Frame
• Illustrating Some Implications of the Conservation Laws in Relativistic Mechanics
• Classical Physics of Thermal Scalar Radiation in Two Spacetime Dimensions

Cited by in corpus (14)

• Blackbody Radiation in Classical Physics: A Historical Perspective
• Dynamics Underlying the Gaussian Distribution of the Classical Harmonic Oscillator in Zero-Point Radiation
• On the stability of classical orbits of the hydrogen ground state in Stochastic Electrodynamics
• The Contrasting Roles of Planck's Constant in Classical and Quantum Theories
• Thermodynamics of the Harmonic Oscillator: Derivation of the Planck Blackbody Spectrum from Pure Thermodynamics
• Understanding Zero-Point Energy in the Context of Classical Electromagnetism
• Understanding the Planck Blackbody Spectrum and Landau Diamagnetism within Classical Electromagnetism
• Classical Zero-Point Radiation and Relativity: The Problem of Atomic Collapse Revisited
• Interference Between Source-Free Radiation and Radiation from Sources: Particle-Like Behavior for Classical Radiation
• Contrasting Classical and Quantum Vacuum States in Non-Inertial Frames
• Scaling, Scattering, and Blackbody Radiation in Classical Physics
• Optomechanical sideband asymmetry explained by stochastic electrodynamics
• Contrasting Interactions Between Dipole Oscillators in Classical and Quantum Theories: Illustrations of Unretarded van der Waals Forces
• Disguised Electromagnetic Connections in Classical Electron Theory