N. 3 - 21 aprile 2001 - Giano Bifronte

with the aim of rescuing the intuitive physical aspects of modern
science which seems to have been hidden by mathematical formalisms.
Within this call for return of rationality in modern science, we believe
that it would be advantageous for the comprehension of quantum
physics if it were possible to point out a closer link between the new
quantum results and the well known concepts of classical physics. As
an example we consider here some unusual but interesting effects of
quantum mechanics, called nonlocal quantum effects of the Aharonov-
Bohm type (where no local forces act on the particles), and show how
they are related to the last advances of classical electrodynamics.
Another important reason for considering nonlocal quantum effects in
Sect. 2 is that the discussion on nonlocality revives the polemic on what
are the correct expressions of the em forces on elementary point
particles, which may possess a charge, an electric or magnetic dipole.
This discussion points out several untested aspects of the relativistic
interpretation of classical electrodynamics which assumes the validity
of Maxwell's equations in their differential form. The main weakness,
which is not known by the majority of physicists, is that the
microscopic or differential form of Maxwell's equations, as usually
interpreted by special relativity, have not been completely tested, while
their integral form (Faraday's Law, Ampere's Law, etc) are considered
to have been fully tested.
Moving charges are considered by relativity to form a current
regardless of the fact that the forces on currents and their fields have
been tested on moving charges or current elements forming closed
currents only. Thus, it turns out that, theoretically, there is some
arbitrariness in the expression of the microscopic form of the em force
on elementary particles. This arbitrariness disappear for macroscopic or
integral (e.g. for closed circuits) expressions.
As an example of the relativistic formulation of electrodynamics not
yet tested, we consider in Sect. 3 the case of the Lorentz force acting on
a charged point particle (open current) and the force on a neutral
particle with a magnetic dipole moment. Another example in Sect. 4
refers to the detection of the fields generated by an open current (for
example, a moving charge).
If the nonlocal quantum effects of the AB type have ultimately (as
some physicists believe) a local origin, the experiments done on these
effects represents already an evidence that the standard Lorentz force
must be modified.
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