The Story of Physics Flashcards
Experimental vs theoretical physics
Experimental - design and running of investigations into phenomena in nature
Theoretical - propose and develop models to explain experimental observations
JJ Thompson
Plum pudding model. Discovered the electron
Rontgen
Found that the X-ray could pass through casting shadows of solid objects. The exposure of the first X-rays was 20-30 mins.
Grubbe
Came up with the notion of using X-rays to treat cancer. Worked in a factory making x-ray tubes, and his first patient was treated with a DIY machine at this factory.
Rutherford background
born in New Zealand, studied in NZ, Canada and Cambridge
Geiger-Marsden
Discovery of the nucleus through the scattering of alpha particles. Possible through Rutherford’s discovery of alpha radiation. 1 in 8000 were scattered
Rutherford’s discoveries
Half life, alpha and beta radiation and the proton (positively charged nucleus)
Marie Curie background
Grew up under Russian rule. Spent years working as a governess to pay for her sister to study. Worked in a lab when she lived with her father. First woman in France with a PhD in physics
Polonium discovery
Her PhD on the rays emitted by U and Th, found radioactivity was more intense than expected, believed to have found a new element. 1898
Radium discovery
Funded with the money granted for an award for discovering polonium. Took them years to isolate a pure sample to establish the atomic mass 1898
Actinium discovery
Debierne, working on pitchblende 1899
Becquerel
Given a vial of barium, found it burned his skin but felt not burning sensation. Curies had also noted this effect on their fingers.
Curie-therapy
Doctors experimented with radium and found that it reduced tumours, lesions and cancers
Marie Curie and war
Offered her services to built mobile x-ray equipment, called little curies
Radium girls
Radium used to make glow in the dark clock faces towards the end of WW1. Workers were instructed to lick the paintbrush to get fine lines. Many developed jaw and tooth problems. Compensation following a law suit was not widely collected
Radithor
Advertised as an aphrodisiac. Chairman of a steel company began to drink several bottles a day after a car accident, began reporting similar symptoms to the radium girls. There was an investigation into Radithor, patient was too ill to testify
The neutron
Discovered by Chadwick, its existence had been predicted by Rutherford.
Neptunium
McMillan and Abelson, California 1940. Bombarded uranium to give Np
Plutonium
Seaborg and Kennedy. Isolated the daughter of Np. Publication was withdrawn during the war due to potential use as a fuel for a nuclear bomb
