lamb shift

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

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Noun

1. {{lb|en|quantum mechanics|quantum electrodynamics}} A small difference between the [[energy level]]s 2S_½ and 2P_½ of the [[hydrogen]] [[atom]], not predicted by the [[Dirac equation]], whose detection in the Lamb–Retherford experiment of 1947 foreshadowed the development of [[quantum electrodynamics]] (in which the discrepancy is explained to be an effect of the emission and re-absorption of [[virtual particle|virtual photon]]s); such a difference between otherwise expectedly equal energy levels of hydrogen or any other type of atom.

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