The constant creation and annihilation of virtual pairs of particles and antiparticles causes a slight change in the wavelengths of the hydrogen spectral lines. This effect is called the:
A)Wolf effect.
B)Rutherford shift.
C)Lamb shift.
D)Einstein effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This effect is known as the Lamb shift, named after Willis Lamb who first observed it in 1947. It is a small correction to the energy levels of the hydrogen atom due to the virtual particle-antiparticle pairs that briefly appear and disappear in the vacuum around the atom.

The Constant Creation and Annihilation of Virtual Pairs of Particles