Abstract
An estimate for the gravitationally induced electric field is presented that is based on a statistical model for the electrons in a metal in which their long-range electrostatic interaction with a differentially compressed lattice of positive ions is taken into account. The field is in the upward direction and is estimated to be of the order of magnitude , where is the atomic mass, is the electronic charge, and is the acceleration due to gravity. For copper, V/m. An earlier estimate by Schiff and Barnhill gives a field in the downward direction equal to , where is the mass of the electron. The difference between our result and theirs is due to different treatments of the effect of lattice compressibility.
- Received 21 November 1967
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.168.737
©1968 American Physical Society