The bohr atom bound in cloth

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The bohr atom bound in cloth

• Literary Exposition of Quantum Theory in Popular
  Science Books, 1918-1926
• Kristian H. Nielsen
• Centre for Science Studies
• Ny Munkegade 120, 1520
• DK-8000 Århus C
• Denmark
• E-mail khn_at_ivs.au.dk

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Historiography of popular science

• Whos afraid of popular science?
• An unworkable analytical category (Topham 1998
  Secord 2004)
• Used in a derogative way to denigrate popular
  books, articles etc.
• Used to legimitize science as the only way of
  knowing about the world
• The canonical account of popular science
• In the distant past, science and the public were
  intimate and entangled
• Progressively, science has shed and disciplined
  its publics
• Today, we know (we think) who is a scientist and
  who is a lay person

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Historiography of popular science

• Lets invent other terms!
• Expository science Forms and functions (Shinn
  Whitley 1985)
• Continuum of expository practices referent,
  imagery, argument
• Science communication
• Lets historicize popular science!
• Analyze the social and rhetorical dimensions of
  technical vs. popular
• Struggles to define popular science
• Ambiguities and complexities exhibited by
  popular science

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Historiography of popular science

• The rise of popular science in the 19th century
• Professionalization of science
• The construction of the public as mass of
  consumers and chatterers
• The popular science boom in the early 20th
  century
• Publishers seeking/creating audiences based on
  product differentiation
• Range of books pamphlets for different
  audiences at different prices
• Scientists promoting the big picture
• Atomic physics, cosmology, relativity, evolution,
  science and industry, etc.

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quantum theory in books 1918-1925

• Graetz, L. (1918). Die Atomtheorie in ihrer
  neuesten Entwicklung Sechs Vorträge. Stuttgart
  Verlag von J. Engelhorns Nachf.
• Sommerfeld, A. (1919). Atombau und
  Spektrallinien. Braunschweig Durck und Verlag
  von Friedr. Vieweg Sohn
• Crehore, A. C. (1920). The Atom. New York D. Van
  Nostrand company
• Holst, H., Kramers, H. A. (1922). Bohrs
  Atomteori, almenfatteligt fremstillet.
  Copenhagen Gyldendal
• Kirchberger, P. (1922a). Atom- und
  Quantentheorie. Leipzig.
• Kirchberger, P. (1922b). Die Entwicklung der
  Atomtheorie. Karlsruhe Druck and Verlag C. F.
  Müllersche Hofbuchhandlung.
• Russell, B. (1923). The ABC of Atoms. London
  Kegan Paul Co
• Andrade, E. N. d. C. (1923). The Structure of the
  Atom. London G. Bell Sons
• Sullivan, J. W. N. (1923). Atoms and Electrons.
  London Hodder and Stoughton.
• Campbell, N. R. (1923). The Structure of the
  Atom. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
• Lodge, O. (1924). Atoms and Rays An Introduction
  to Modern Views on Atomic Structure and
  Radiation. London Ernest Benn Ltd

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N-Grams for atom, quantum, bohr
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N-Grams for atom, quantum, bohr, relativity,
einstein
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N-Grams for atom, quantum, bohr, relativity,
einstein, dada, duchamp
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Planetary model of the atom

• Just as in the solar system, the general
  movement of the electrons around the nucleus
  forms an ellipse, the focus of which is the
  nucleus, but these Kepler ellipses are only
  available in a limited and discrete number and,
  on the basis of quantum theoretical calculations,
  are arithmetically characterized by fixed
  eccentricities and major semiaxes. (Sommerfeld
  1919, p. 68)
• An atom is found to be a sort of solar system,
  with sun and planets the empty regions between
  the sun and the planets fill up vastly more space
  than they do, so that the greater part of the
  volume that seems to us to be filled by a solid
  body is really unoccupied. (Russell 1923, p. 16)

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Attractiveness of the planetary model

• Ontological coherence
• Similarity between structure of the universe and
  structure of the atom
• A nice and simple mental picture
• Iconic representation of the atom

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Attractiveness of the planetary model

• Ontological coherence
• Similarity between structure of the universe and
  structure of the atom
• A nice and simple mental picture
• Iconic representation of the atom

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Attractiveness of the planetary model

• Ontological coherence
• Similarity between structure of the universe and
  structure of the atom
• A nice and simple mental picture
• Iconic representation of the atom
• Epistemological certainty
• Science will progress!
• By means of experiment and mathematics

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The advent of a new newtonian age

• To many of us it appears that we are certainly
  living in a Keplerian age that is to say, in an
  age when all sorts of hypotheses are put forward,
  and are being compared with experiment and
  observation to see if they hold good, and even if
  their rationale is not at the time understood,
  and although they may have to wait, for full
  explanation, for the Newtonian age which in
  process of time ought to follow. Some of us have
  even suggested that a Newtonian age is beginning
  now not because any one man is of the magnitude
  of Newton, but because there are so many men well
  equipped with mathematical methods of
  investigation, and standing on the shoulders of
  the great men of the past. (Lodge 1924, p. V)

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acoustic analogies

• An atom cannot emit or absorb any kind of
  vibration, but ii can emit and absorb a vibration
  of the right kind in a surprisingly efficient
  manner with consequences that were unexpected,
  and which still cannot fully be accounted for.
• If we now imagine an assemblage of quiescent
  tuning-forks of different sizes, and a sound wave
  falls upon the aassemblage, only those forks will
  vibrate which are in tune with the wavethat is,
  which have the same frequencyand from them the
  pellets will be thrown off but until the right
  frequency is reached, nothing happens. (Lodge
  1923, p. 64-65)

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acoustic analogies

• If we try to illustrate the matter atomic
  structure with an analogy from the theory of
  sound, we can do so by comparing the atom not
  with a stringed instrument, but with a
  hypothetical musical instrument of a wholly
  different kind. Let us imagine that we have
  placed one over another and concentrically a
  series of circular dics of progressively smaller
  radii, and the let us suppose that a small sphere
  can move around any one of these without friction
  and without emitting sound. In such a motion the
  system may be said to be in a stationary state.
  (Kramers and Holst 1923, p. 120)

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acoustic analogies

• Sooner or later the sphere may fall from the
  first disc on to one lower down and continue to
  roll around on the second, having emitted sound,
  let us assume, by its fall. By passing thur from
  one stationary state to another it loses an
  quantity of energy equal to the work which would
  be necessary to raise it again to the disc
  previously occupied, and to bring it back to the
  original state of motion. We can assume that the
  energy which is lost in the fall reappears in a
  sound wave emitted by the instrument, and that
  the pitch of the sound emitted is proportional to
  the energy sent out. If, moreover, we imagine
  that the lowermost disc is grooved in such a way
  that the sphere cannot fall farther, then this
  fanciful instrument can provide a very rough
  analogy with the Bohr atom. We must beware,
  however, of stretching the analogy farther than
  is here indicated. (Kramers and Holst 1923, p.
  120)

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The staircase model

• Think of a marble rolling down a circular
  staircase, like a conical pyramid cut into steps.
  When it comes to the edge of a step, it tumbles
  over and acquires speed in its descent, so that
  it is moving more rapidly than before, but when
  it strikes, there is a noise and some of the
  energy is lost. If the marble was running round
  the steps in a sort of spiral, if the risers
  between the steps increased in depth from the top
  downwards, and if it could bounce over some of
  the steps, then we would have a very rough and
  unsatisfactory model, but one which does suggest
  a discontinuous kind of fall, and also the
  emission of radiant energy in the form of sound
  or vibration every time there is an impact.
  (Lodge 1923, p. 133-134)

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the human atom

• The nucleus of any atom except hydrogen is a
  tight little system, which may be compared to a
  family of energetic people engaged in a perpetual
  family quarrel. In radio-activity some members of
  the family emigrate, and it is found that the
  energy they used to spend in quarrels at home is
  sufficient to govern an empire. If this source of
  energy can be utilized commercially, it will
  probably in time supersede every other. (Russell
  1923, p. 14)
• An electron is like a man who, when he is
  insulted, listens at first apparently unmoved,
  and then suddenly hits out. (Russell 1923, p. 63)

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Reconciling quantum theory with everyday
experience

• To the eye or to the touch, ordinary matter
  appears to be continuous our dinner-table or the
  chairs on which we sit, seem to present an
  unbroken surface. We think that if there were too
  many holes the chairs would not be safe to sit
  on. Science, however, compels us to accept a
  quite different conception of what we are pleased
  to call solid matter it is, in fact, something
  much more like the Irishmans definition of a
  net, a number of holes tied together with pieces
  of string. Only it would be necessary to image
  the strings cut away until only the knots were
  left. (Russell 1923, p. V)

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Metaphors for quanta

• A block or a pillar set up on a table can be
  upset by a critical force applied to it
  horizontally, but any force less than that need
  not cause any disturbance.
• Or take an explosive substance, say gunpowder. A
  spark of sufficient suddenness will ignite it and
  produce a violent result. A stronger spark will
  do no more, but an unsuitable spark of flame will
  do nothing.
• Or take an example from agriculture. A seed
  thrown in the ground will germinate and produce a
  bush or tree of appropriate size. But half a seed
  would presumably decay and produce nothing.
  Indeed, seeds may be said to exist in quanta.
  (Lodge 1923, p. 136-137)

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Metaphors for quanta

• Again, a clock gives the time in quanta. The
  hands of the clock do not move continuously, but
  in jerks.
• The heavenly bodies are obviously discontinuous.
  There must be some reason, which indeed has been
  partly ascertained, why matter is distributed in
  the large masses that we call stars and not
  aggregated into one great lump by reason of
  gravitational attraction. (Lodge 1923, p. 137)

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Literary clothing of the bohr atom

• Scientists perceived lack of interest in
  popularization
• once a statement has been properly formulated
  there is no need of repetition, no need for full
  discussion and exposition of it in all its
  bearings (Lodge 1923, p. vi)
• The Bohr atom exposed and discussed in many ways
• Degree of mathematization (technicality)
• Linguistic experiments with literary exposition
  of the Bohr Atom and Quantum Theory

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Thanks!

• Kristian H. Nielsen
• Center for Science Studies
• Ny Munkegade 120, 1520
• DK-8000 Århus C
• Denmark
• E-mail khn_at_ivs.au.dk