Re: Stability (was Earnshaw's theorem)

[Bob Sciamanda <trebor@VELOCITY.NET>]

Yes,
As we noted in our earlier Earnshaw discussion, the stability of the atom
(or matter in general) cannot be explained by Maxwellian electrodynamics.

You may remember that as a byproduct of our earlier discussion, I
submitted a related question to the Q and A column of the AJP.  The
submission was acknowledged - and then silence.
Bob

Bob Sciamanda (W3NLV)
Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (em)
trebor@velocity.net
http://www.velocity.net/~trebor

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ludwik Kowalski" <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2001 05:22 PM
Subject: Stability (was Earnshaw's theorem)
> . . .
> That Earnshaw's theorem refers to a system which excludes
> non-electric forces. Does a "rigid cloud" made from tiny beads
> mounted on sticks, depend on other forces? Yes and no, so
> to speak. Is it not true that all significant forces keeping this
> structure together, including the glue, are electrical? But the
> structure is stable, beads do not move with respect to each
> other. Is this a paradox?
> Ludwik Kowalski