Ernest Rutherford and the Explosion of Atoms: And the Explosion of Atoms

J. L. Heilbron

ISBN 10: 0195123786 / ISBN 13: 9780195123784

Published by Oxford Univ Pr, 2003

About this Item

1st edition. 144 pages. 9.50x6.75x0.25 inches. In Stock.

Seller Inventory # 0195123786

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Ernest Rutherford and the Explosion of Atoms: And the Explosion of Atoms
• Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr
• Publication Date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195123786
• ISBN 13: 9780195123784
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Brand New
• Weight: 0.45 kilograms

About this title

Synopsis

An engaging biography that captures the excitement of the early days of nuclear physics, Ernest Rutherford tells the story of the down-to-earth New Zealander who became one of the foremost pioneers of subatomic physics. Rutherford's achievements were numerous and included:
* Inventing a detector for electromagnetic waves
* Discovering the existence of alpha and beta rays in uranium radiation
* Creating (with Frederick Soddy) the "disintegration theory" of radioactivity, which regards radioactive phenomena as atomic -- not molecular -- processes
* Demonstrating that the inner structures of elements correspond with a group of lines that characterize them, which could then be assigned an atomic number and, more important, the properties of each element could be defined by this number
* And his greatest contribution of all - he discovered that the atom had a nucleus and that it contained the positively charged proton
From his early days as a scholarship student to the end of his life as he continued to work in his lab, Ernest Rutherford reveals the life and times of one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century.

Oxford Portraits in Science is an on-going series of scientific biographies for young adults. Written by top scholars and writers, each biography examines the personality of its subject as well as the thought process leading to his or her discoveries. These illustrated biographies combine accessible technical information with compelling personal stories to portray the scientists whose work has shaped our understanding of the natural world.

About the Author

John L. Heilbron is at University of Berkeley.