  The linear Stark effect for the first excited state of the hydrogen atom
shows that, in the unperturbed states, the atom has a permanent electric dipole
moment (EDM) of magnitude 3eao (ao is Bohr radius). The EDM is not induce by
the external field but is inherent behavior of the atom. But the calculation of
quantum mechanics tells us that unperturbed states of hydrogen atom have no
EDM! In the effect, two of four states have no energy shift. What are the EDM
of the hydrogen atoms in the two states? Quantum mechanics can not answer the
problem. The statement that the EDM of the two states is perpendicular to the
field only comes from guesses in quantum mechanics. The two problems had
puzzled physicists for more than 80 years. By introducing a new parameter this
article gives a satisfactory explanation for the effect. Our calculation
discovered that, in the unperturbed states, the atoms not only have EDM with
3eao but also can have only three directions of quantization! It is an entirely
unexpected discovery. This research is a vital clue that not all is well with
quantum mechanics. We prophesy that hydrogen-like atoms, such as K, Rb and Cs
atom etc, may have large EDM of the order of magnitude eao in their ground
state (see arXiv:0809.4767, arXiv:0810.0770 and arXiv:0810.2026).

Atomic Physics