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Special theory of relativity in chemistry

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Abstract

Application of Einstein special theory of relativity in chemistry seems to be superfluous; energies are too low. The average velocity of electron in hydrogen atom (1 s 1) is 1/135 c, making its actual mass only 26,6 ppm bigger than the rest mass. However, for heavier elements (about Z > 60) relativistic effects have to be taken into account and, more, many phenomena cannot be explained without ascribing new mass to electrons, in accordance with Einstein theory. In this paper such phenomena are described: color of metallic gold and Bi and Pb compounds, contraction of Ln-X bond of lanthanide trihalides, voltage of lead-acid and Zn/HgO battery, and the shape of gold clusters. Besides, essentials of Einstein theory and quantum chemistry were problems concerning the validity of Lavoisier law.

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Notes

  1. In special theory of relativity, space and time form a new dimension, space–time. The word comes from German (Raumzeit), and because of this, its grammatical form is not time–space; in German there is namely word Zeitraum, meaning “period of time”.

  2. Newton’s definitions of space, „Spatium Absolutum, natura sua absqe relatione ad externum quidvis, semper manet similare et immobile “, and time, „Tempus Absolutum, verum et mathematicum, in se et natura sua absque relatione ad externum quodvis, aequabiliter fluit, alioque nomine dicitur Duratio.“ (Newton 1687).

  3. For nuclear fusion (2H + 3H → 4He + n, Q = 17.6 MeV) the mass defect equals 0.092%.

  4. This should imply it is not possible to make elements Z > 137, because electron in 1 s orbital should move faster than light! It is not so, because electrons mutually interact (Pomeranchuk 1945; Tucker 1968).

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    Nenad Raos

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The first version of this paper was published in Croatian; N. Raos. Specijalna teorija relativnosti u kemiji. Kem. Ind. 69(11–12): 659–664, 2020.

Nenad Raos Retired from Institite for Medical Research and Occupational Helath, Zagreb, Croatia.

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Raos, N. Special theory of relativity in chemistry. Found Chem 24, 87–95 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10698-022-09420-3

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