The Interpretation of. [Atomic Theory, Nuclear Physics]. The Interpretation of Radium. Being the Substance of Six Free Popular Experimental Lectures Delivered at the University of Glasgow, 1908

SODDY, Frederick

Published by John Murray, London, 1909

About this Item

Published: 1909. 2nd Edition. Not signed by author. 1909 second edition of The Interpretation of Radium, a landmark text at the dawn of the nuclear era. It captures Frederick Soddy s revolutionary insights at the precise moment alchemy became modern physics and inspired H.G. Wells to write The World Set Free, where he predicted atomic warfare. DESCRIPTION: Second edition of Soddy s influential early exposition of atomic theory bound in publisher's original red cloth with blind impressed titles and illustration to front and gilt titles to spine. Thirty nine illustrations. Rough cut page edges. Language: English. Book Condition: Very Good. Light wear to corners, edges and spine ends. Faint marks to cloth. Tightly bound with spotted intact endpapers and strong hinges. Corners of sticker to front paste down. Clean unmarked pages. DJ Condition: No DJ. Pages 256. Size: 22 cm by 14. 5 cm. BOOK RESUME: The Interpretation of Radium is based on a series of six popular lectures delivered by Soddy at the University of Glasgow in 1908. In this text, he brilliantly deconstructs the mystery of radioactivity for the educated layperson and the professional scientist alike. The book explores the internal energy of the atom, the nature of alpha particles, and the revolutionary idea that atoms are not solid spheres but vast reservoirs of latent power. Most significantly, Soddys prose moves beyond the laboratory, speculating on the geological age of the earth and the future of human civilisation in a world where the suns fire can be harnessed by man. AUTHOR: Frederick Soddy (1877-1956) was a towering figure in British chemistry and physics. Working alongside Ernest Rutherford, he was the man who coined the term 'isotope'. He was a scientist with a deeply philosophical and social conscience; later in life, he became an agitator for economic reform, believing that the discovery of atomic energy necessitated a complete overhaul of the global financial system to prevent catastrophe. His 1921 Nobel Prize cemented his place as one of the architects of the modern world.

Seller Inventory # 12509

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Interpretation of. [Atomic Theory, Nuclear Physics]. The Interpretation of Radium. Being the Substance of Six Free Popular Experimental Lectures Delivered at the University of Glasgow, 1908
• Publisher: John Murray, London
• Publication Date: 1909
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No DJ