1937 Nobel Prize in Physics : Clinton Joseph Davisson and George Paget Thomson

ram H singhal

The Nobel Prize in Physics 1937 was awarded jointly to Clinton Joseph Davisson and George Paget Thomson “for their experimental discovery of the diffraction of electrons by crystals.”

We think we understand the regular reflection of light and X rays – and we should understand the reflections of electrons as well if electrons were only waves instead of particles … It is rather as if one were to see a rabbit climbing a tree, and were to say ‘Well, that is rather a strange thing for a rabbit to be doing, but after all there is really nothing to get excited about. Cats climb trees – so that if the rabbit were only a cat, we would understand its behavior perfectly.’ Of course, the explanation might be that what we took to be a rabbit was not a rabbit at all but was actually a cat. Is it possible that…

View original post 214 more words

1936 Nobel Prize in Physics : Victor Franz Hess and Carl David Anderson

ram H singhal

The Nobel Prize in Physics 1936 was divided equally between Victor Franz Hess “for his discovery of cosmic radiation” and Carl David Anderson “for his discovery of the positron.”

From a consideration of the immense volume of newly discovered facts in the field of physics, especially atomic physics, in recent years it might well appear to the layman that the main problems were already solved and that only more detailed work was necessary.

Victor Franz Hess

In order to make further progress, particularly in the field of cosmic rays, it will be necessary to apply all our resources and apparatus simultaneously and side-by-side; an effort which has not yet been made, or at least, only to a limited extent.

Victor Franz Hess

The atom can’t be seen, yet its existence can be proved. And it is simple to prove that it can’t ever be seen. It has to be studied…

View original post 91 more words