The classical electron radius, also known as the Lorentz radius or the Thomson scattering length, is based on a classical (i.e. non-quantum) relativistic model of the electron. According to modern understanding, the electron is a point particle with a point charge and no spatial extent. Attempts to model the electron as a non-point particle are considered ill-conceived and counter-pedagogic. However, the classical electron radius is calculated as (in SI units)
where and are the electric charge and the mass of the electron, is the speed of light, and is the permittivity of free space.