If Bohr’s quantisation postulate (angular momentum = nh/2π) is abasic law of nature, it should be equally valid for the case of planetary motion also. Why then do we never speak of quantisation of orbitsof planets around the sun?

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Solution

The quantization of orbits of planets around the Sun is not popular and we never talk about this phenomenon because the angular momentum that is associated with planetary motion is largely relative to the value of Planck’s constant ( h ).

The angular momentum of the Earth in its orbit is of the order of 10 70 ( h ). So, this is a very high value of quantum levels n of the order of 10 70 .

Thus, for the large value of quantum levels, the successive energies and angular momentum are very small.

Thus, the quantum levels for planetary motion are considered as continuous and we never speak of quantization of orbits of planets around the sun.

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