Recent Developments in Atomic Theory

Into the short compass of this book Professor Graetz has succeeded in compressing an eminently readable survey of the directions in which the atomic theory, as accepted in the nineteenth century, has been extended by the remarkable and almost revolutionary physical investigations and discoveries of the two decades preceding the book's original publication in 1923. "This is the first of three volumes which together contain the complete range of Lord Rutherford's scientific papers, incorporating in addition addresses, general lectures, letters to editors, accounts of his scientific work and personal recollections by friends and colleagues. Volume one, first published in 1962, includes early papers written in New Zealand, at the Cavendish Laboratory and during the Montreal period (1894-1906), as well as an introduction to Rutherford's early work by Sir Edward Appleton, and some reminiscences of his time in Canada by Professors H.L. Bronson and Otto Hahn. In each volume can be found photographs of Rutherford and his collaborators, multiple graphs, tables, diagrams and charts, and also pictures of the original apparatus which is of historic interest."--Publisher's website This book describes the picture of reality given by Newton, and the development of the later picture of reality given by field theory. In telling this story, the author explains what problem each scientist faced, and how the process of solving them led to new discoveries. By this method he gives unique insight into the understanding of Einstein's special theory of relativity, as he explains exactly what problems led to the invention of the theory, and exactly where Einstein's solution differed from his predecessors'. A similar analysis is given of the discoveries of Faraday, Maxwell, Hertz First published in 1936, this volume contains six of the Halley Stewart Lectures by some of the greatest of English scientists of the mid-20th century, each a leading authority in his respective field: cosmology, physics, meteorology, medicine and genetics. Summarising the most novel facts and theories which were coming into prominence at the time, particularly those which had not yet been incorporated into standard textbooks, this important work was first published in 1921. This book attempted to provide a selection of scientific writing to stimulate students of arts subjects into discussion and writing about the nature of science and its relationship with the rest of life. This volume, first published in 1921, presents a series of portraits of Einstein, thus offering glimpses in the character and private reflections of the man who changed the course of modern science.