Niels Bohr: Atomic Theorist » (REV)

Niels Bohr recounts the life and work of the founder of modern atomic theory, highlighting his research on the atom and its structure, the development of the nuclear age, and his efforts to promote peace worldwide. The revised edition includes sidebars on the "tools" of physics; the recent play and film Copenhagen, which raised ethical issues on the relationship between science and society during wartime; and biographical profiles of peers in the field. The book concludes with a new chapter on string theory, the hypothesis that attempts to solve the universal paradoxes within fundamental physics.

Niels Bohr includes more than 20 photographs and line illustrations, a glossary, a chronology, a list of print and Internet resources, and an index. Makers of Modern Science is an essential set for students, teachers, and general readers that provides a factual look at the lives and outstanding contributions of prominent scientists.

School Library Journal

Gr 7-9

Bohr made substantial contributions to the modern understanding of atomic structure and quantum mechanics, earning a Nobel Prize in physics in the process. He is also well known for his work for the Manhattan Project. In this update of the 1995 edition (Chelsea House), Spangenburg and Moser delve into Bohr's background and present him as a loving, talkative, and inquisitive person who liked soccer. He was also concerned about the consequences of his work with nuclear weapons and was involved in many humanitarian efforts. His family and professional life are depicted in numerous photos that are integrated into the text. New content includes informational sidebars and a discussion of string theory, a specialized field within physics. An acceptable addition for libraries that do not own the first edition.-Caroline Geck, Newark Public Schools, NJ

Preface     x
Acknowledgments     xiii
Introduction     xiv
The Making of a Physicist (1885-1911)     1
Soccer and Science     5
Conversations Overheard     6
Duality: A Lifelong Theme     10
Plunging into Physics     12
Brilliant Beginnings and Loss     15
Mysteries of the Atom (1911-1912)     20
Interlude in Cambridge     22
Criticizing the Great J. J.     23
Rutherford and the Story So Far     24
Doing Physics in Manchester     27
Teamwork: Rutherford and Bohr     30
Exploring Atomic Structure     32
Birth of Bohr's Atom (1913-1924)     37
The Black Body Dilemma     39
Using Quantum Physics     42
The Story of Spectra     43
What Are Spectra?     45
Fate of a Paper: "... Atoms and Molecules"     48
A Look at Bohr's Model     49
Back to Manchester     52
Ripple Effect and Two Offers     54
Enter Einstein     55
Bohr and Einstein: Battle between Friends (1925-1929)     59
Pauli's Exclusion Principle     60
An UnlikelyFriendship: Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung     60
Wave-Particle Duality     62
Heisenberg: Uncertainty and Quantum Theory     64
The Clock in a Box     66
The "Spirit of Copenhagen" (1930-1938)     71
Exploring Atomic Structure     72
Bohr and the Atomic Nucleus     73
The Physicists' Parody of Faust     75
Intellectual Heights at Bohr's Institute     77
Bohr v. Einstein: The Great Debate     77
Tragedy and a World at War     79
Open Door to the Nuclear Age (1938-1945)     83
Lise Meitner's Insight     84
Heisenberg: A Question of Ethics?     86
Escape     88
Copenhagen, the Play     89
Physicists Called to Battle     90
The Final Years (1945-1962)     94
Public Life: Search for a Better World     94
Letter to the United Nations     97
Physicists, Particle Physics, Openness, and Peace     99
Shrinking Circle of Friends     103
Niels Bohr and the Pursuit of Truth     105
Rethinking Bohr's Physics     107
What Are Strings?     109
The Universe Both Big and Small     109
The Impossible Dream?     111
Conclusion: The Legacy of Niels Bohr     113
Chronology     117
Glossary     121
Further Resources     125
Index     135