Philosophy
Tomorrow would be the 122nd anniversary of the birth of Ernest Marsden, the man who discovered the nucleus for the man who discovered the nucleus. As an undergraduate at the University of Manchester studying physics, Marsden became a laboratory assistant for Ernest Rutherford, who like Marsden hailed from New Zealand, but had found his way into the scientific circles of early 20th century England. Rutherford was loud, brash, and, compared to his contemporaries at Cambridge, shockingly uncouth. But that is what endeared him to J.J. Thompson, discoverer of the electron and the most powerful scientist in the country.
Having discovered the electron, tiny particles of negativity in the atom, Thompson had proposed the "plum pudding model" in which these electrons swam in a soup of positivity making an electrically neutral atom. Rutherford, along with his assistant Hans Geiger, was testing whether such a model fit observation. So they devised an experiment wherein they would fire alpha particles -- large projectiles from an atomic point of view, at very thin foil of gold. Most would go through, some would deflect. They would need statistics on the angle of deflection. This meant sitting in an incredibly dark basement staring for tiny flashes and meticulously recording them for hours upon hours upon hours. Rutherford was brilliant, but had little patience and so the job was given to Marsden.
He did what an undergrad research assistant is supposed to do -- the crapwork. And he was careful noting all of the scintillations for hour after long hour. Even some that reflected at very large angles, something that should not have happened. He could have waved it off as his eyes playing tricks. But he didn't. He recorded it and looked for it, such flashes not happening often. But he told Geiger and Rutherford about it.
Rutherford took Marsden very seriously despite their difference in social position and thought about what would cause such radical changes in direction. It had to be something hard. And thus was discovered the structure of the atom, something for which Rutherford received the Nobel Prize.
But behind every great advance, there are people quietly who do the hard work. We rarely give these folks the credit they deserve, but they are always there. The world is full of gaffers and gophers, secretaries and offensive linemen, ghost writers and joke writers, TAs and RAs, people who don't get the glory or adoration, but whose dedication is paramount in making things work. Happy birthday Ernest Marsden and thanks to all the Ernest Marsdens out there.
- Rip Kenneth Mars
My Fellow Comedists, Last week I wrote about Ernest Marsden, a scientist who pulled yeoman's duty and contributed to one of the most important scientific discoveries without receiving the credit. Last week, we lost a comedic version. Kenneth Mars...
- Radioactive Disintegration, Discovery Of The Atomic Nucleus, Artificially Produced Element Transformation--ernest Rutherford's Early Experiments
Abstract:Modern atomic and nuclear physics took its start in the early part of the twentieth century, to a large extent based upon experimental investigations of radioactive phenomena. Foremost among the pioneers of the new kind of physics was Ernest...
- The Bohr Model Of The Atom...spread The Word
Summary: The emergence of quantum theory in the early decades of the twentieth century was accompanied by a wide range of popular science books, all of which presented in words and in images new scientific ideas about the structure of the atom. The work...
- Deceased--brian G. Marsden
Brian G. Marsden August 5th, 1937 to November 18th, 2010 "Brian Marsden, longtime director of the Minor Planet Center, dead at 73" by John Matson November 18th, 2010 Scientific American Brian G. Marsden, who as director of the International Astronomical...
- Physicists--recorded Moments
It is a pity that audio and visual recordings weren't possible throughout man's history. But here are four items... Ernest Rutherford "The bother is that a nucleus, as you know, is a very small thing, and we know very little about it. Now,...
Philosophy
In Praise of Ernest Marsden
Tomorrow would be the 122nd anniversary of the birth of Ernest Marsden, the man who discovered the nucleus for the man who discovered the nucleus. As an undergraduate at the University of Manchester studying physics, Marsden became a laboratory assistant for Ernest Rutherford, who like Marsden hailed from New Zealand, but had found his way into the scientific circles of early 20th century England. Rutherford was loud, brash, and, compared to his contemporaries at Cambridge, shockingly uncouth. But that is what endeared him to J.J. Thompson, discoverer of the electron and the most powerful scientist in the country.
Having discovered the electron, tiny particles of negativity in the atom, Thompson had proposed the "plum pudding model" in which these electrons swam in a soup of positivity making an electrically neutral atom. Rutherford, along with his assistant Hans Geiger, was testing whether such a model fit observation. So they devised an experiment wherein they would fire alpha particles -- large projectiles from an atomic point of view, at very thin foil of gold. Most would go through, some would deflect. They would need statistics on the angle of deflection. This meant sitting in an incredibly dark basement staring for tiny flashes and meticulously recording them for hours upon hours upon hours. Rutherford was brilliant, but had little patience and so the job was given to Marsden.
He did what an undergrad research assistant is supposed to do -- the crapwork. And he was careful noting all of the scintillations for hour after long hour. Even some that reflected at very large angles, something that should not have happened. He could have waved it off as his eyes playing tricks. But he didn't. He recorded it and looked for it, such flashes not happening often. But he told Geiger and Rutherford about it.
Rutherford took Marsden very seriously despite their difference in social position and thought about what would cause such radical changes in direction. It had to be something hard. And thus was discovered the structure of the atom, something for which Rutherford received the Nobel Prize.
But behind every great advance, there are people quietly who do the hard work. We rarely give these folks the credit they deserve, but they are always there. The world is full of gaffers and gophers, secretaries and offensive linemen, ghost writers and joke writers, TAs and RAs, people who don't get the glory or adoration, but whose dedication is paramount in making things work. Happy birthday Ernest Marsden and thanks to all the Ernest Marsdens out there.
- Rip Kenneth Mars
My Fellow Comedists, Last week I wrote about Ernest Marsden, a scientist who pulled yeoman's duty and contributed to one of the most important scientific discoveries without receiving the credit. Last week, we lost a comedic version. Kenneth Mars...
- Radioactive Disintegration, Discovery Of The Atomic Nucleus, Artificially Produced Element Transformation--ernest Rutherford's Early Experiments
Abstract:Modern atomic and nuclear physics took its start in the early part of the twentieth century, to a large extent based upon experimental investigations of radioactive phenomena. Foremost among the pioneers of the new kind of physics was Ernest...
- The Bohr Model Of The Atom...spread The Word
Summary: The emergence of quantum theory in the early decades of the twentieth century was accompanied by a wide range of popular science books, all of which presented in words and in images new scientific ideas about the structure of the atom. The work...
- Deceased--brian G. Marsden
Brian G. Marsden August 5th, 1937 to November 18th, 2010 "Brian Marsden, longtime director of the Minor Planet Center, dead at 73" by John Matson November 18th, 2010 Scientific American Brian G. Marsden, who as director of the International Astronomical...
- Physicists--recorded Moments
It is a pity that audio and visual recordings weren't possible throughout man's history. But here are four items... Ernest Rutherford "The bother is that a nucleus, as you know, is a very small thing, and we know very little about it. Now,...