爱因斯坦对光子的想象——辐射与分子间能量动量转移的动平衡

Einstein's photon hypothesis——the kinetic equilibrium of energy-momentum transfer between molecules and radiation

介绍并赏析爱因斯坦对量子力学理论的发展起过重要推动作用的文章一篇 .他利用带有动量及能量的光子的想象 ,引入自发辐射、诱发辐射及吸收 3种跃迁概率 ,验证了分子的麦克斯韦 -玻尔兹曼分布与辐射的普朗克分布之间的动量能量转移的动平衡 .结合这一工作前后的物理学背景和发展 。

Here we appreciate a paper by Einstein which played an important role in the early development of quantum theory. He proposed that the energy quantum of Planck possesses further a unidirectional momentum. Considering three kinds of transitions, i.e. spontaneous emission, absorption and induced emission, he verified the kinetic equilibrium for the energy and momentum transfer between molecules with Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution and radiation with Planck distribution at the same temperature. The relevant background and further development of physics are also described to illustrate the birth and growth of a scientific idea, like that of photon or the wave-particle duality.