
%0 Journal Article
%A Irons, F. E. 
%T An atomistic interpretation of Planck's 1900 derivation of his radiation law.
%J Australian Journal of Physics
%D 2000/03/01
%V 53
%N 2
%P 193-216
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/PH99063
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/PH99063 
%X In deriving his radiation law in 1900, Max Planck employed a simple harmonic oscillator to model the exchange of energy between radiation and matter. Traditionally the harmonic oscillator has been viewed as modelling an entity which is itself oscillating, although a suitable oscillating entity has not been forthcoming. (Opinion is divided between a material oscillator, an imaginary oscillator and a need to revise Planck&quot;s derivation to apply to cavity modes of oscillation). We offer a novel, atomistic interpretation of Planck&quot;s derivation wherein the harmonic oscillator models a transition between the internal quantum states of an atom&#124;not a normal electronic atom characterised by possible energies 0 and hv, but an atom populated by subatomic bosons (such as pions) and characterised by multiple occupancy of quantum states and possible energies nhv (n= 0;1;2; :::). We show how Planck&quot;s derivation can be varied to accommodate electronic atoms. A corollary to the atomistic interpretation is that Planck&quot;s derivation can no longer be construed as support for the postulate that material oscillating entities can have only those energies that are multiples of hv. 
