Philosophy
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 of physicists such as Ernest Rutherford and Niels Bohr, among others, was pivotal to the so-called planetary model of the atom, which, still today, is used in popular accounts and in science textbooks. In an attempt to add to our knowledge about the popular trajectory of the new atomic physics, this paper examines one book in particular, coauthored by Danish science writer Helge Holst and Dutch physicist and close collaborator of Niels Bohr, Hendrik A. Kramers. Translated from Danish into four European languages, the book not only presented contemporary ideas about the quantum atom, but also went into rather lengthy discussions about unresolved problems. Moreover, the book was quite explicit in identifying the quantum atom with the atom as described by Bohr’s theory. We argue that Kramers and Holst’s book, along with other atomic books, was a useful tool for physicists and science popularisers as they grappled with the new quantum physics.
"Spreading the gospel: The Bohr atom popularised" by Helge Kragh and Kristian Hvidtfelt Nielsen
- Google Doodle Celebrates Neil Bohr's Birthday
Niels Bohr [Wikipedia] Niels Bohr Quotes The Niels Bohr Library & Archives at the American Institute of Physics Ge Ge--Niels Bohr's Chinese Translator ...
- 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...
- "niels Bohr Collected Works"--revisionist Physics
Niels Bohr This will not be Bohring for it is revisionist physics in action especially when original material [the 12 volume Niels Bohr Collected Works] is made available online but the catch will be that it probably comes with a fee for reading or a...
- Ge Ge--niels Bohr's Chinese Translator
The history of science is littered with little unknown items and such is the case here...the Chinese translator of the works of Neils Bohr...Professor Ge Ge. "A Hero of History of Science: Niels Bohr's Chinese Translator" American Institute of Physics...
- 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
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 of physicists such as Ernest Rutherford and Niels Bohr, among others, was pivotal to the so-called planetary model of the atom, which, still today, is used in popular accounts and in science textbooks. In an attempt to add to our knowledge about the popular trajectory of the new atomic physics, this paper examines one book in particular, coauthored by Danish science writer Helge Holst and Dutch physicist and close collaborator of Niels Bohr, Hendrik A. Kramers. Translated from Danish into four European languages, the book not only presented contemporary ideas about the quantum atom, but also went into rather lengthy discussions about unresolved problems. Moreover, the book was quite explicit in identifying the quantum atom with the atom as described by Bohr’s theory. We argue that Kramers and Holst’s book, along with other atomic books, was a useful tool for physicists and science popularisers as they grappled with the new quantum physics.
"Spreading the gospel: The Bohr atom popularised" by Helge Kragh and Kristian Hvidtfelt Nielsen
- Google Doodle Celebrates Neil Bohr's Birthday
Niels Bohr [Wikipedia] Niels Bohr Quotes The Niels Bohr Library & Archives at the American Institute of Physics Ge Ge--Niels Bohr's Chinese Translator ...
- 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...
- "niels Bohr Collected Works"--revisionist Physics
Niels Bohr This will not be Bohring for it is revisionist physics in action especially when original material [the 12 volume Niels Bohr Collected Works] is made available online but the catch will be that it probably comes with a fee for reading or a...
- Ge Ge--niels Bohr's Chinese Translator
The history of science is littered with little unknown items and such is the case here...the Chinese translator of the works of Neils Bohr...Professor Ge Ge. "A Hero of History of Science: Niels Bohr's Chinese Translator" American Institute of Physics...
- 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,...