The Solvay Councils And The Birth Of Modern Physics

Author : Pierre Marage,Grégoire Wallenborn
Publisher : Birkhäuser
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2013-11-11
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783034877039

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The Solvay Councils and the Birth of Modern Physics by Pierre Marage,Grégoire Wallenborn Pdf

FOREWORD This book came about as a result of two events: an exhibition on the Solvay Physics Councils, held in Brussels in May 1995, and a conference on the same theme which took place at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) on May 1Oth 1995. A book was published in French in conjunction with the exhibition, and much of the present publication is taken from that book. In addition, we have included some of the papers presented at the conference, as we believe they add a further dimension to the history of the Councils. The French term, Conseil Solvay, is usually translated into English as Solvay Conference or Congress. We have elected to retain the particular connotations of the French word Conseil by translating it instead as Council. The Councils were, after all, no ordinary conferences. Only a limited number of participants was invited, hand picked by a scientific committee, who for five to six days took an active part in the sessions and the long discussions that followed. Each day, one or two physicists would present a paper on a subject that had been chosen by the committee to fit in with the overall theme of the Council. The word Conseil expressly implies the gathering of an elite to engage in debate.

Author : Frits Berends,Franklin Lambert
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2022-07-11
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 2759826694

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Einstein's Witches' Sabbath and the Early Solvay Councils by Frits Berends,Franklin Lambert Pdf

Before world war ii there were no regular international physics conferences, with the notable exception of seven SOLVAY COUNCILS . The first Council in 1911 was the result of a miraculous chain of events. Impressed by Einstein's specific heat paper, Nernst wanted its quantum basis to be discussed by international experts. By a series of coincidences the planned summit was convened by Solvay, the Belgian industrialist and Maecenas. Thanks to chairman Lorentz, the meeting was so successful that to this day similar Councils have been convened by the International Physics Institute, founded by Solvay and supported by his family. Lorentz chaired five Councils that testify to the transition from classical to modern physics. The first stimulated the physicists' interest in the quantum problem. The fifth, in 1927, solved the problem by marking, according to Heisenberg, the completion of Quantum Mechanics. The book focuses on the personal relations between the physicists who actively participated in the quantum revolution. These relations came under great strain during the Great War, but the Councils survived thanks to Lorentz's and Solvay's faith in the universality of science.

Author : Guido Bacciagaluppi,Antony Valentini
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 557 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2009-10-22
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781139643719

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Quantum Theory at the Crossroads by Guido Bacciagaluppi,Antony Valentini Pdf

The 1927 Solvay conference was perhaps the most important in the history of quantum theory. Contrary to popular belief, questions of interpretation were not settled at this conference. Instead, a range of sharply conflicting views were extensively discussed, including de Broglie's pilot-wave theory (which de Broglie presented for a many-body system), Born and Heisenberg's 'quantum mechanics' (which apparently lacked wave function collapse or fundamental time evolution), and Schrödinger's wave mechanics. Today, there is no longer a dominant interpretation of quantum theory, so it is important to re-evaluate the historical sources and keep the debate open. This book contains a complete translation of the original proceedings, with essays on the three main interpretations presented, and a detailed analysis of the lectures and discussions in the light of current research. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in physics and in the history and philosophy of quantum theory.

Author : Jeffrey Orens
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2021-07-06
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781643137155

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The Soul of Genius by Jeffrey Orens Pdf

A prismatic look at the meeting of Marie Curie and Albert Einstein and the impact these two pillars of science had on the world of physics, which was in turmoil. In 1911, some of the greatest minds in science convened at the First Solvay Conference in Physics, a meeting like no other. Almost half of the attendees had won or would go on to win the Nobel Prize. Over the course of those few days, these minds began to realize that classical physics was about to give way to quantum theory, a seismic shift in our history and how we understand not just our world, but the universe. At the center of this meeting were Marie Curie and a young Albert Einstein. In the years preceding, Curie had faced the death of her husband and soul mate, Pierre. She was on the cusp of being awarded her second Nobel Prize, but scandal erupted all around her when the French press revealed that she was having an affair with a fellow scientist, Paul Langevin. The subject of vicious misogynist and xenophobic attacks in the French press, Curie found herself in a storm that threatened her scientific legacy. Albert Einstein proved an supporter in her travails. They had an instant connection at Solvay. He was young and already showing flourishes of his enormous genius. Curie had been responsible for one of the greatest discoveries in modern science (radioactivity) but still faced resistance and scorn. Einstein recognized this grave injustice, and their mutual admiration and respect, borne out of this, their first meeting, would go on to serve them in their paths forward to making history. Curie and Einstein come alive as the complex people they were in the pages of The Soul of Genius. Utilizing never before seen correspondance and notes, Jeffrey Orens reveals the human side of these brilliant scientists, one who pushed boundaries and demanded equality in a man’s world, no matter the cost, and the other, who was destined to become synonymous with genius.

Author : Jagdish Mehra
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 439 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9789401018678

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The Solvay Conferences on Physics by Jagdish Mehra Pdf

Jagdish Mehra's historical account of the Solvay Conferences from 1911 to 1973 demonstrates not only the great influence which these conferences have had on the development of modern physics, but it also shows clearly how far-sighted and well planned were the intentions of Ernest Solvay when he took the initiative for organizing a new type of international conferences. In contrast to the conventional meetings in which reports are given on the successful solution of scientific problems, the Solvay Conferences were conceived to help directly in solving specific problems of unusual difficulty. The importance of the quantum structure of Nature had become well under stood already by 1911, but at that time there was no hope for an answer to the ex tremely difficult new questions posed by the atomic phenomena. The new conferences should therefore be devoted primarily to thorough discussions of such problems be tween a small number of the most competent physicists, and Ernest Solvay was guided by the hope that the discussions would eventually lead to a real and substantial progress. The earliest Solvay Conferences which I attended were those of 1927, 1930 and 1933, and they served this purpose extremely well. In 1926 the mathematical formalism of quantum-and wave-mechanics approached its final shape, but the interpretation was still controversial. Schrodinger hoped that his matter waves could be considered as waves in three-dimensional space and time, and that the discontinuous feature of quantum 'jumps' could be avoided thereby.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2024-06-16
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9789814477277

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The Quantum Structure of Space and Time by Anonim Pdf

Author : Olival Freire Jr,Guido Bacciagaluppi,Olivier Darrigol,Thiago Hartz,Christian Joas,Alexei Kojevnikov,Osvaldo Pessoa Jr
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 1104 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2022-03-07
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780192582980

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The Oxford Handbook of the History of Quantum Interpretations by Olival Freire Jr,Guido Bacciagaluppi,Olivier Darrigol,Thiago Hartz,Christian Joas,Alexei Kojevnikov,Osvaldo Pessoa Jr Pdf

Crucial to most research in physics, as well as leading to the development of inventions such as the transistor and the laser, quantum mechanics approaches its centenary with an impressive record. However, the field has also long been the subject of ongoing debates about the foundations and interpretation of the theory, referred to as the quantum controversy. This Oxford Handbook offers a historical overview of the contrasts which have been at the heart of quantum physics for the last 100 years. Drawing on the wide-ranging expertise of several contributors working across physics, history, and philosophy, the handbook outlines the main theories and interpretations of quantum physics. It goes on to tackle the key controversies surrounding the field, touching on issues such as determinism, realism, locality, classicality, information, measurements, mathematical foundations, and the links between quantum theory and gravity. This engaging introduction is an essential guide for all those interested in the history of scientific controversies and history of quantum physics. It also provides a fascinating examination of the potential of quantum physics to influence new discoveries and advances in fields such quantum information and computing.

Author : Mary J. Nye
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 700 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 1983-01-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 0938228072

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The Question of the Atom by Mary J. Nye Pdf

Author : Rebecka Lettevall,Geert Somsen,Sven Widmalm
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : History
ISBN : 9780415893770

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Neutrality in Twentieth-century Europe by Rebecka Lettevall,Geert Somsen,Sven Widmalm Pdf

Time and again scientists and other intellectuals have claimed their endeavors to be neutral, elevated above the world of partisan conflict and power politics. This volume studies the resonances between neutrality in science and culture and neutrality in politics. By analyzing the activities of scientists, intellectuals, and politicians (sometimes overlapping categories) of mostly neutral nations in the First World War and after, it traces how an ideology of neutralism was developed that soon was embraced by international organizations. This book explores how the notion of neutrality has been used and how a neutralist discourse developed in history. As such, Neutrality in Twentieth-Century Europe presents a different perspective on the century than the story of the great belligerent powers, and one in which science, culture, and politics are inextricably mixed.

Author : Kenneth Bertrams,Nicolas Coupain,Ernst Homburg
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 649 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2013-01-03
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781107311077

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Solvay by Kenneth Bertrams,Nicolas Coupain,Ernst Homburg Pdf

Ernest Solvay, philanthropist and organizer of the world-famous Solvay conferences on physics, discovered a profitable way of making soda ash in 1861. Together with a handful of associates, he laid the foundations of the Solvay company, which successfully branched out into other chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals. Since its emergence in 1863, Solvay has maintained world leadership in the production of soda ash. This is the first scholarly book on the history of the Solvay company, which was one of the earliest chemical multinationals and today is among the world's twenty largest chemical companies. It is also one of the largest companies in the field to preserve its family character. The authors analyze the company's 150-year history (1863–2013) from economic, political and social perspectives, showing the enormous impact geopolitical events had on the company and the recent consequences of global competition.

Author : Robert Fox,Graeme Gooday
Publisher : Oxford University Press on Demand
Page : 386 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2005-06-16
Category : Mathematics
ISBN : 9780198567929

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Physics in Oxford, 1839-1939 by Robert Fox,Graeme Gooday Pdf

This book shows that physics in pre-war Oxford has a colourful and dynamic history. Its examination of physics teaching and research in the university's constituent colleges reveals a unique world that helped to make Oxford physics in the 20th century, a force to rival that of the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge.

Author : John Dirk Walecka
Publisher : World Scientific Publishing Company
Page : 500 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2013-01-21
Category : Science
ISBN : 9789814436915

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Topics in Modern Physics by John Dirk Walecka Pdf

While the two previous books entitled Introduction to Modern Physics: Theoretical Foundations and Advanced Modern Physics: Theoretical Foundations exposed the reader to the foundations and frontiers of today's physics, the goal of this third volume is to cover in some detail several topics omitted in the essentially linear progression of the first two. This book is divided into three parts. Part 1 is on quantum mechanics. Analytic solutions to the Schrödinger equation are developed for some basic systems. The analysis is then formalized, concluding with a set of postulates for the theory. Part 2 is on applications of quantum mechanics: approximation methods for bound states, scattering theory, time-dependent perturbation theory, and electromagnetic radiation and quantum electrodynamics. Part 3 covers some selected topics in relativistic quantum field theory: discrete symmetries, the Heisenberg picture, and the Feynman rules for quantum chromodynamics. The three volumes in this series taken together provide a clear, logical, self-contained, and comprehensive base from which the very best students can learn modern physics. When finished, readers should have an elementary working knowledge in the principal areas of theoretical physics of the twentieth century.

Author : Thomas Heinze,Richard Münch
Publisher : Springer
Page : 295 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2016-07-11
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781137594204

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Innovation in Science and Organizational Renewal by Thomas Heinze,Richard Münch Pdf

This book looks at the types of new research organizations that drive scientific innovation and how ground-breaking science transforms research fields and their organization. Based on historical case studies and comparative empirical data, the book presents new and thought-provoking evidence that improves our knowledge and understanding about how new research fields are formed and how research organizations adapt to breakthroughs in science. While the book is firmly based in science history, it discusses more general sociological and policy propositions regarding scientific innovations and organizational change. The volume brings together leading scholars both from the United States and Europe.

Author : Harmke Kamminga,Geert Somsen
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2016-05-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781317073062

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Pursuing the Unity of Science by Harmke Kamminga,Geert Somsen Pdf

From 1918 to the late 1940s, a host of influential scientists and intellectuals in Europe and North America were engaged in a number of far-reaching unity of science projects. In this period of deep social and political divisions, scientists collaborated to unify sciences across disciplinary boundaries and to set up the international scientific community as a model for global political co-operation. They strove to align scientific and social objectives through rational planning and to promote unified science as the driving force of human civilization and progress. This volume explores the unity of science movement, providing a synthetic view of its pursuits and placing it in its historical context as a scientific and political force. Through a coherent set of original case studies looking at the significance of various projects and strategies of unification, the book highlights the great variety of manifestations of this endeavour. These range from unifying nuclear physics to the evolutionary synthesis, and from the democratization of scientific planning to the utopianism of H.G. Wells's world state. At the same time, the collection brings out the substantive links between these different pursuits, especially in the form of interconnected networks of unification and the alignment of objectives among them. Notably, it shows that opposition to fascism, using the instrument of unified science, became the most urgent common goal in the 1930s and 1940s. In addressing these issues, the book makes visible important historical developments, showing how scientists participated in, and actively helped to create, an interwar ideology of unification, and bringing to light the cultural and political significance of this enterprise.

Author : Manjit Kumar
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
Page : 481 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2024-06-16
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780393080278

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Quantum by Manjit Kumar Pdf

“One of the best guides yet to the central conundrums of modern physics.”—John Banville Quantum theory is weird. As Niels Bohr said, if you weren’t shocked by quantum theory, you didn’t really understand it. For most people, quantum theory is synonymous with mysterious, impenetrable science. And in fact for many years it was equally baffling for scientists themselves. In this tour de force of science history, Manjit Kumar gives a dramatic and superbly written account of this fundamental scientific revolution, focusing on the central conflict between Einstein and Bohr over the nature of reality and the soul of science. This revelatory book takes a close look at the golden age of physics, the brilliant young minds at its core—and how an idea ignited the greatest intellectual debate of the twentieth century.