상세정보

Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the fundamental forces that govern it. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is a definitive historical study of that scientific work and the human struggles that accompanied it from the beginning. Drawing upon such materials as the resources of the Archives for the History of Quantum Physics, the Niels Bohr Archives, and the archives and scientific correspondence of the principal quantum physicists, as well as Jagdish Mehra's personal discussions over many years with most of the architects of quantum theory, the authors have written a rigorous scientific history of quantum theory in a deeply human context. This multivolume work presents a rich account of an intellectual triumph: a unique analysis of the creative scientific process. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is science, history, and biography, all wrapped in the story of a great human enterprise. Its lessons will be an aid to those working in the sciences and humanities alike.

Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the fundamental forces that govern it. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is a definitive historical study of that scientific work and the human struggles that accompanied it from the beginning. Drawing upon such materials as the resources of the Archives for the History of Quantum Physics, the Niels Bohr Archives, and the archives and scientific correspondence of the principal quantum physicists, as well as Jagdish Mehra's personal discussions over many years with most of the architects of quantum theory, the authors have written a rigorous scientific history of quantum theory in a deeply human context. This multivolume work presents a rich account of an intellectual triumph: a unique analysis of the creative scientific process. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is science, history, and biography, all wrapped in the story of a great human enterprise. Its lessons will be an aid to those working in the sciences and humanities alike.

정보제공 :

[v.1]

Prologue.- I Quanta and Molecules: The Quantum Theory of Planck, Einstein and Nernst.- 1.1 The Law of Blackbody Radiation.- 1.2 The Significance of the Constants in Planck's Law.- 1.3 Fluctuations and Light-Quanta.- 1.4 Energy-Quanta and the Derivations from Classical Theories.- 1.5 The Search for Other Quantum Phenomena.- 1.6 Specific Heats, New Quantum Hypotheses and the First Solvay Conference.- 1.7 The Consolidation of Quantum Theory.- II The Bohr-Sommerfeld Theory of Atomic Structure.- II.1 The Spectra of Atoms and Molecules: The Empirical Foundations.- II.2 Ideas Towards a Model of Atomic Structure.- II.3 Niels Bohr and the Origin of the Quantum Theory of Line Spectra.- II.4 Atoms as Conditionally Periodic Quantum Systems.- II.5 Three Principles of Atomic Theory.- III The Bohr Festival in Goettingen.- III.1 The Gottingen Tradition of Mathematics and Physics.- III.2 The Continuity of the Tradition: Richard Courant, Max Born and James Franck in Gottingen.- III.3 Progress in Atomic Models from 1913 to 1921.- III.4 Bohr's Wolfskehl Lectures and the Theory of the Periodic System of Elements.- III.5 Immediate Impact and Triumph of Bohr's Theory of the Periodic System of Elements.- IV The Mechanical and Spectroscopic Failures of Atomic Models.- IV. 1 Wolfgang Pauli's Background and Early Scientific Work.- IV.2 The Helium Atom and Other Few-Body Problems.- IV.3 The Magnetic Anomaly and the Stern-Gerlach Effect.- IV.4 The Anomalous Zeeman Effect.- IV. 5 The Breakdown of the Bohr-Sommerfeld Theory: Anomalous Zeeman Effects and the Crossed-Field Problem.- V The Problems of Radiation Theory.- V.1 The Proof of the Light-Quantum Hypothesis.- V.2 The Bohr-Kramers-Slater Theory of Radiation.- V.3 Bose's Light-Quantum Statistics and Its Extension to Gas Theory.- V.4 The Phase Waves Associated with Matter.- V. 5 The Status of the Radiation Problem in 1925.- VI New Methods and Concepts in Atomic Theory.- VI.1 The Dispersion-Theoretic Approach.- VI.2 Atomic Structure and the Problem of Closed Electron Shells.- VI.3 The Rule for Equivalent Electrons: Pauli's Exclusion Principle.- VI.4 The Discovery of Electron Spin.- Epilogue. References.- Author Index.

[v.2]

Prologue.- I Quanta and Molecules: The Quantum Theory of Planck, Einstein and Nernst.- 1.1 The Law of Blackbody Radiation.- 1.2 The Significance of the Constants in Planck's Law.- 1.3 Fluctuations and Light-Quanta.- 1.4 Energy-Quanta and the Derivations from Classical Theories.- 1.5 The Search for Other Quantum Phenomena.- 1.6 Specific Heats, New Quantum Hypotheses and the First Solvay Conference.- 1.7 The Consolidation of Quantum Theory.- II The Bohr-Sommerfeld Theory of Atomic Structure.- II.1 The Spectra of Atoms and Molecules: The Empirical Foundations.- II.2 Ideas Towards a Model of Atomic Structure.- II.3 Niels Bohr and the Origin of the Quantum Theory of Line Spectra.- II.4 Atoms as Conditionally Periodic Quantum Systems.- II.5 Three Principles of Atomic Theory.- III The Bohr Festival in Goettingen.- III.1 The Gottingen Tradition of Mathematics and Physics.- III.2 The Continuity of the Tradition: Richard Courant, Max Born and James Franck in Gottingen.- III.3 Progress in Atomic Models from 1913 to 1921.- III.4 Bohr's Wolfskehl Lectures and the Theory of the Periodic System of Elements.- III.5 Immediate Impact and Triumph of Bohr's Theory of the Periodic System of Elements.- IV The Mechanical and Spectroscopic Failures of Atomic Models.- IV. 1 Wolfgang Pauli's Background and Early Scientific Work.- IV.2 The Helium Atom and Other Few-Body Problems.- IV.3 The Magnetic Anomaly and the Stern-Gerlach Effect.- IV.4 The Anomalous Zeeman Effect.- IV. 5 The Breakdown of the Bohr-Sommerfeld Theory: Anomalous Zeeman Effects and the Crossed-Field Problem.- V The Problems of Radiation Theory.- V.1 The Proof of the Light-Quantum Hypothesis.- V.2 The Bohr-Kramers-Slater Theory of Radiation.- V.3 Bose's Light-Quantum Statistics and Its Extension to Gas Theory.- V.4 The Phase Waves Associated with Matter.- V. 5 The Status of the Radiation Problem in 1925.- VI New Methods and Concepts in Atomic Theory.- VI.1 The Dispersion-Theoretic Approach.- VI.2 Atomic Structure and the Problem of Closed Electron Shells.- VI.3 The Rule for Equivalent Electrons: Pauli's Exclusion Principle.- VI.4 The Discovery of Electron Spin.- Epilogue.- References.- Author Index.


[v.3]

I The Rediscovery of a Mathematical Tool.- I.1 Max Born's Interpretation of Heisenberg's Quantum Condition.- I.2 The Development of Matrix Calculus.- I.3 Early Applications of Matrix Methods in Physics.- I.4 Born's New Collaborator: Pascual Jordan.- II Matching the Tools and the Task.- II.1 The Programme of Matrix Mechanics.- II.2 Operations with Matrices.- II.3 Dynamical Laws and Energy Conservation.- II.4 An Example of Discrete Mechanics: The Oscillator.- II.5 Preliminary Remarks on Radiation.- III Completion of the Matrix Scheme.- III.1 The Three-Man Collaboration.- III.2 Towards a New Perturbation Theory.- III.3 Several Degrees of Freedom and Degeneracy.- III.4 Born's Idee Fixe and a Letter to Niels Bohr.- III.5 The Eigenvalue Problem and the Transformation to Principal Axes.- III.6 Continuous Spectra and the Significance of the Transformation Matrix.- IV The Success of Matrix Mechanics.- IV.1 The Treatment of Dispersion Phenomena.- IV.2 Fluctuations in Cavity Radiation.- IV.3 The Conservation of Angular Momentum.- IV.4 Wolfgang Pauli's Conversion.- IV.5 The Solution of the Hydrogen Problem.- IV.6 The Problems of Intensities and the Diatomic Molecule.- V Modifications and Extensions of Matrix Mechanics.- V.1 Nonmechanical Stress versus Spin.- V.2 Field-Like Representation of Quantum Mechanics.- V.3 The Operator Mechanics.- V.4 Multiply Periodic Systems: Action-Angle Variables and the Method of Complex Integration.- V.5 The Electron Spin, Fine Structure and Anomalous Zeeman Effects.- V.6 Key to the Helium Problem.- References.- Author Index.


[v.4]

I: The Fundamental Equations of Quantum Mechanics, 1925-1926.- I Paul Dirac's Intellectual Development.- I.1 Growing Up in Bristol.- I.2 The Education of an Electrical Engineer.- I.3 Studying Applied Mathematics.- I.4 The Fascination of Relativity Theory.- II Student in Cambridge.- II.1 The Cambridge Environment.- II.2 Quantum Theory in Cambridge.- II.3 Activities of a Student: Lectures, Seminars and Private Study.- III The Making of a Quantum Physicist.- III.1 First Steps in Research.- III.2 The Principle of Detailed Balancing.- III.3 An Extension of the Adiabatic Principle.- III.4 Growing Involvement in Quantum Physics.- IV The Reformulation of Dynamical Laws.- IV.1 Key to the Quantum Mystery.- IV.2 The Dynamical Significance of Noncommutativity.- IV.3 Steps towards a Quantum Algebra.- IV.4 The Hamiltonian Scheme of Quantum Mechanics.- V q-Numbers at Work.- V.1 On q- and c-Numbers.- V.2 The Introduction of Action-Angle Variables.- V.3 A Preliminary Investigation of Many-Electron Atoms.- V.4 Quantum Time and 'Relativity Quantum Mechanics'.- V.5 Towards New Horizons.- 2: The Reception of the New Quantum Mechanics, 1925-1926.- I A Welcome to the New Theory: Goettingen and Copenhagen.- II Propagation of Quantum Mechanics in Europe.- III Early Reviews and Lectures on Quantum Mechanics.- IV Enthusiastic Response in the United States.- V The Changing Horizon.- References.- Author Index.