Chapter 228 Cavendish New Year's Party
The shock to people in the scientific world in 1909 was really great.
Physics and chemistry, in particular, are leading the way, allowing everyone to see the great charm of science.
As for who was the most eye-catching person in 1909, it was undoubtedly Bruce Lee.
The other party returned to Europe after six years of silence. Once he took action, he turned the scientific world upside down.
Only then did people realize that the first genius in physics had not died. He had returned with the power of thunder, as if he wanted to dominate physics.
Some older generation physicists lamented: Cavendish really nourishes people!
On the New Year of 1910, Professor Thomson, director of the Cavendish Laboratory, organized a rare New Year's party.
The European New Year is different from the Chinese New Year.
Their New Year follows the Gregorian calendar, starting a few days before Christmas and ending on January 6th.
And January 1st is New Year’s Day, the so-called New Year.
On January 1, 1910, the Cavendish Laboratory was bustling with activity.
Such a New Year party has not been held in more than ten years.
Thomson took over as director of the Cavendish Laboratory from Lord Rayleigh at the age of 28. It has been 25 years since.
Over the past twenty years, he has trained countless talents for the academic community and society.
It was under his leadership that Cavendish established a complete postgraduate training system and a good academic style, thus cultivating many talents.
Today, Thomson invited the outstanding students he taught together to commemorate the special year of 1909.
The people invited to participate were: Ridgway, Rutherford, Richardson, Bakla, Langevin and others.
Some of these people are graduate students of Thomson, and some have studied and worked here, and they all bear the mark of Cavendish.
When Li Qiwei rushed to the laboratory, he found that everyone was already there.
Thomson and Lord Rayleigh were sitting in the center, listening to their juniors tell interesting stories in their respective fields.
Li Qiwei's appearance immediately caused a sensation on the scene.
Because he has become so famous in the physics community recently.
Far surpassed his mentor Thomson and mentor Lord Rayleigh.
When Thomson saw Ridgway coming, he immediately walked towards him, took his hand and said to everyone: "Our Cavendish hero is here!"
call!
The crowd started to cheer.
Li Qiwei was rarely shy and waved his hand quickly.
Fortunately, everyone here is from the same laboratory, and everyone cheers for him sincerely, without any malice.
Today, half of the reputation of Cavendish Laboratory in the world comes from its own strength, and the other half comes from Li Qiwei.
Many people in the laboratory even predicted that Li Qiwei would become a legend alongside Maxwell, the founder of Cavendish.
After Li Qiwei greeted everyone in the laboratory one by one, Thomson introduced several new people to Li Qiwei.
"Bruce, this is Lawrence Bragg, who is admitted to Trinity College this year. His father is Henry Bragg."
"This kid begged his father to let me be his Mentor.”
After meeting Li Qiwei, Prague was very excited as if he were meeting an idol.
"Hello, Professor Bruce, my name is Bragg. I have read your speech at the first Bruce conference more than ten times."
"Your physical ideas are really amazing."
Li Qiwei looked at Prague, who had not yet gotten rid of his childishness, and felt emotional.
In real history, the other party was the youngest Nobel Prize winner in physics, and was only 25 years old when he won the prize.
However, this record has now been brutally broken by Li Qiwei, who was only 21 years old when he won the award.
Li Qiwei wanted to tease him, so he turned to Thomson and said, "Professor, I didn't know that flattery was included in your teaching course."
Professor Thomson laughed after hearing this, and Bragg also laughed. He scratched his head sheepishly.
"Bruce, you have to be friendly to your junior brothers."
"Bragg is very smart. He has done very in-depth research on optics. He has even been teaching himself X-ray related knowledge recently."
Li Qiwei smiled and said: "Oh? That's awesome."
"X-rays are not so easy to study, Bragg, are you confident?"
Bragg was stunned for a moment, ah? What confidence?
However, he immediately reacted and said: "I have it, Senior Bruce, and I want to become a famous physicist like you."
Li Qiwei smiled and patted him. Shoulder said: "Come on, Bragg, I'm optimistic about you."
Then Thomson introduced another person to Li Qiwei named Aston.
He was personally invited by Thomson and mainly studied the properties of particles.
Before coming to Cavendish, Aston studied fermentation at a brewing school in Birmingham.
In real history, Aston discovered two isotopes of neon through experiments in the early days of the Cavendish Laboratory.
As his experiments deepened, he invented an artifact for studying isotopes: the mass spectrometer.
Because the isotopes have the same charge but different masses.
As long as they are placed in the same magnetic field, the magnetic force on several isotopes is the same, but their own masses are different, so their motion trajectories are different, so they can be distinguished.
This is the principle of mass spectrometer.
Through mass spectrometry, Aston identified more than 200 natural isotopes.
For this achievement, he won the 1922 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Li Qiwei shook his hand friendly and Aston was flattered.
Li Qiwei's status in the scientific community is very different from his.
But he was not timid, because this was another rich second generation.
Aston began studying organic chemistry in his father's private laboratory in 1896. Li Qiwei complained in his heart, fortunately, he is now a rich generation, and he will completely crush you second-generation people who are obsessed with science.
After introducing the new members of the laboratory, the New Year activities officially began.
The usually busy laboratory seems to finally be able to take a break.
Fine wine, delicious food, and laughter filled the room.
No one is talking about academics or work at this moment, but talking about some interesting things.
This is a rare time of year to relax.
In 1909, although the world was not peaceful everywhere, at least the British Empire was safe.
Even the best place in the world right now.
The people live and work in peace and contentment, and scientists can concentrate on their own research without worrying about chores.
Politicians are busy every day just arguing with other countries and carving up overseas territories.
As for fighting, with the British Empire’s national strength at this time, it would crush anyone it faced.
So the British at this time were very lucky and happy.
But in a few years, life will not be so easy.
The war broke out, and ordinary people were in danger and frightened.
Scientists can only put down their pen and paper, pick up their spears and go to the battlefield.
Everyone is caught up in this, and the so-called scientific research must also give in to the war.
Physicists no longer study atomic structure, but study shell trajectories and enemy country's submarine parameters.
It was a time that no one can forget.
While Li Qiwei was thinking about these sad things, he was suddenly patted on the back.
He didn’t even look back, and he guessed that it must be Wilson. Sure enough, the other party said very stinkingly:
“Bruce, although you didn’t invite me to the first Bruce meeting, I don't care anymore."
"Because soon, my cloud chamber will become a tool for many physicists."
"The professorship is just around the corner for me."
Li Qiwei said with a smile: "Wilson, congratulations to you."
In real history, Wilson did not become a professor at Cambridge University until 1925.
"I think the professor is not worthy of you at all. I think you should win the Nobel Prize in Physics."
Wilson was shocked and believed it, "Really, Bruce, you also think that I can win the Nobel Prize in Physics." Nobel Prize? ”
Li Qiwei certainly would not tease Wilson on the occasion of the New Year. He said:
"In fact, the functions of the cloud chamber are already very comprehensive."
"I read your paper, and you give it back The cloud chamber is equipped with photographic equipment for photographing charged particles?”
Wilson was very proud and moved. He was proud that he came up with this feature himself.
Because he feels that it is easy to ignore those momentary phenomena when observing with the naked eye.
It is different when photographed with camera equipment. The experimenter can watch it repeatedly and study the trajectory of the particles, which greatly enhances the usability of the data.
Wilson was moved because his papers were all published in sub-journals of Nature. Because there are too many great writers at present, his cloud room could not be ranked, so he could only publish in sub-journals.
And Li Qiwei was able to explain his new function in one sentence, which shows that the other party read the paper carefully.
How could Wilson not be moved.
With Li Qiwei's status at this time, there is no need to pay attention to Yunshi, because it will have no effect on him.
Li Qiwei is a highly qualified theoretical physicist, and he is not on the same level as those who make experimental instruments.
Wilson knew that Li Qiwei must not let go of him, so he kept paying attention to him.
So, his eyes were full of emotion.
Li Qiwei didn’t know what he was thinking. He thought he was looking forward to how he could win the Nobel Prize.
If he knew it, he would have said to Wilson seriously: Brother Wei, you are overthinking. I have not read a word of your paper. It was my PhD students who happened to share your paper during their weekly paper reading.
"A simple cloud chamber is still a bit weak to win the Nobel Prize. After all, its structure and principle are relatively simple."
"So, you need to make an innovative experiment complete with your cloud chamber , so maybe you and the other person can win the Nobel Prize together."
Wilson felt like a treasure after hearing this. He wrote down this angle and was ready to pay attention to the latest developments in the physics world.
In real history, when Compton was studying the interaction between X-rays and matter, he used a cloud chamber to prove the existence of recoil electrons, thus verifying the correctness of the Compton effect.
So Compton and Wilson jointly won the 1927 Nobel Prize in Physics.
When the two of them were about to continue chatting, Rutherford took him to drink.
The New Year party lasts from 10 o'clock in the morning to 5 o'clock in the afternoon.
Everyone was almost a little tipsy.
The journey is far away, so just find a hotel in Cambridgeshire to stay overnight.
Li Qiwei chose to take the train directly back to London.
Before leaving, Richardson pulled him and said that if he goes to the United States, he must go to Princeton University first, and he will treat him well.
Li Qiwei smiled and agreed. It seemed that Richardson would not have an easy time at Princeton, and he needed to support himself.
In addition, Thomson told him about the 79th British Association for the Advancement of Science in February this year and asked him to attend.
Li Qiwei readily agreed. Having such an opportunity to communicate with top figures in different fields would be of great benefit to his own development.
He, Mr. Li, has been dominating the world of physics for ten years. It’s time for him to cross the border and pretend to be cool. Not to communicate.
(End of this chapter)