Welcome to Physics 4302!!

Brief Overview of the Structure of Physics Where does Statistical Physics fit into the overall organization (structure) of Physics? What about Thermodynamics? How is Thermodynamics related to Statistical Physics?

Physics History, Physics Trivia Also, occasionally, I’ll make comments on Physics History, Famous Physicists & Physics Trivia (interesting to me!):

Some interesting (to me!) facts about Some Nobel Prize winners! For example, what follows are Some interesting (to me!) facts about Some Nobel Prize winners! Niels Bohr 1922 Nobel Prize in Physics for “His services in the investigation of the structure of atoms & of the radiation emanating from them.”

Notice the Figure Caption! Niels Bohr 1922 Nobel Prize in Physics for “His services in the investigation of the structure of atoms & of the radiation emanating from them.”

*Harald Bohr later became a famous mathematician! Interesting (to me!) Trivia! Niels Bohr is the only Nobel Prize Winner to have ALSO been an Olympic Medalist! In the 1908 Olympics, he & his brother Harald* were on the Danish soccer team, which won a sliver medal! *Harald Bohr later became a famous mathematician!

More Interesting (to me. ) Trivia More Interesting (to me!) Trivia! Neils Bohr’s son, Aage Bohr also received a Nobel Prize in Physics! He shared the 1975 Nobel Prize with B. Mottelson & J. Rainwater  “for the discovery of the connection between collective motion & particle motion in atomic nuclei & the development of the theory of the structure of the atomic nucleus based on this connection”.

More Interesting (to me. ) Trivia More Interesting (to me!) Trivia! Other FAMILIES with more than 1 Nobel Prize!

Radioactivity & the Curies, Part I In 1903, the husband & wife were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics “In recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered by their joint researches on the radiation phenomena discovered by Professor Henri Becquerel” First Woman Nobel Prize Winner in any field! Pierre Curie (1859-1906) Marie (Skłodowska) Curie (1867-1934)

Radioactivity & the Curies, Part II Nobel Prize in 2 Different Sciences! In 1911, Marie Curie was also awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry! “In recognition of her services to the advancement of chemistry by the discovery of the elements radium and polonium, by the isolation of radium and the study of the nature and compounds of this remarkable element".” Marie (Skłodowska) Curie (1867-1934)

Radioactivity & the Curies, Part II More Trivia! Why didn’t Pierre Curie also share this Chemistry Nobel Prize with Marie?

Radioactivity & the Curies, Part II More Trivia! Why didn’t Pierre Curie also share this Chemistry Nobel Prize with Marie? Because he was dead!!

Radioactivity & the Curies, Part II More Trivia! Why didn’t Pierre Curie also share this Nobel Prize with Marie? Because he was dead!! Unfortunately & tragically, he was killed in an accident in 1906!

Radioactivity & the Curies, Part II More Trivia! Why didn’t Pierre Curie also share this Nobel Prize with Marie? Because he was dead!! Unfortunately & tragically, he was killed in an accident in 1906! Nobel’s will does not allow a Nobel Prize to be awarded to a deceased person!

Radioactivity & the Curies, Part III Marie & Pierre’s daughter! In 1935, the husband & wife were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry “In recognition of their synthesis of new radioactive elements” Irène Joliot-Curie (1897-1956) Frédéric Joliot-Curie (1900-1958)

J.J. Thomson the Electron In 1906, J.J. Thomson was awarded the Physics Nobel Prize “In recognition of the great merits of his theoretical and experimental investigations on the conduction of electricity by gases”. He is credited with the discovery of the electron, a PARTICLE! Sir Joseph J. Thomson (1856-1940)

George P. Thomson & the Electron J.J. Thomson’s son, George P. Thomson also received a Nobel Prize in Physics! He shared the 1937 Nobel Prize in Physics with Clinton J. Davisson “For the experimental discovery of the diffraction of electrons by crystals”. That is, they are credited with the discovery that the electron is also a WAVE! Sir George P. Thomson (1892-1975)

Electron, Proton, Neutron More Trivia! J.J. Thomson, Physics Nobel Prize, 1906, discovered the electron. J.J. Thomson’s PhD student, Ernest Rutherford, Chemistry Nobel Prize, 1908, discovered the proton! Ernest Rutherford’s PhD student, James Chadwick, Physics Nobel Prize, 1935, discovered the neutron!

X-Ray Diffraction & The Bragg Equation In 1915, the father & son were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics “For their services in the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-Rays". Sir William H. Bragg (1862-1942) Sir William L. Bragg (1890-1971) The younger Bragg was fighting in WWI when he received the Nobel Prize!

Invention of the Transistor In 1956, these 3 were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics “For their researches on semiconductors & their discovery of the transistor effect”. Probably the most important invention of the 20th Century!! John Bardeen (1908-1991) Walter Brattain (1902-1987) William Schockley (1910-1989)

Theory of Superconductivity Two Physics Nobel Prizes! In 1972, these 3 were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics John Bardeen (1908-1991) Leon Cooper (1930-present) J. Robert Schrieffer (1931-present) “For their jointly developed theory of superconductivity, usually called the BCS-theory”.

Tragedy!! J.R. Schrieffer, Physics Nobel Prize Winner & Convicted Felon!!!

August 10, 2005: Gainsville, Florida Newspaper “Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist Gets 2 Years for Vehicular Manslaughter” SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) – “A Nobel Prize-winning physicist from Florida State University will spend two years in prison. Seventy-four-year-old John Schrieffer was sentenced in Santa Maria, California for a 2004 car crash that killed a man and injured 7 people.” “Authorities say Schrieffer was driving more than 100 miles per hour when he crashed his Mercedes-Benz into a Toyota van. He pleaded no contest July 25th to felony vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Defense attorneys say their client fell asleep at the wheel. At the time of the crash, Schrieffer was driving on a suspended license. Schrieffer has been chief scientist at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University since 1992.”

Nobel Prizes in two different fields! Linus Pauling Nobel Prizes in two different fields! In 1954, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for his research into the nature of the chemical bond & its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances”. Linus Pauling (1901-1994)

Nobel Prizes in two different fields! Linus Pauling Nobel Prizes in two different fields! In 1954, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry “for his research into the nature of the chemical bond & its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances”. Linus Pauling (1901-1994) In 1962, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for his tireless work on behalf of nuclear weapons disarmament in the world”.