dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaIl "protone neutro". Ovvero della laboriosa esclusione degli elettroni dal nucleo
| Authors | Alberto De Gregorio |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0603261 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0603261 |
Abstract
The coming into light of the neutron is discussed. It is remarked that some experiments had already suggested that the penetrating radiation from beryllium had an electromagnetic component, before Joliot-Curies suggested the beryllium radiation consisted of high-energy gamma rays. Joliot-Curies' idea also relied on the many Compton electron tracks in the Wilson chamber. In 1920, both Harkins and Rutherford foresaw the existence of a particle of mass 1 and zero charge, consisting of one proton and one electron, though they did not give any name to it. In 1932, the neutron was finally observed by Chadwick. However, the question whether considering the neutron as a fundamental or a compound particle still bothered the physicists and Chadwick himself for more than one year. Instead, as soon as Majorana heard about Joliot-Curies' experiments he guessed the existence of a "neutral proton." In 1933 he published some "corrections" to Heisenberg's theory. A very simple analysis shows that Heisenberg's original version of exchange interactions and Majorana's version clearly reflect, respectively, that the nucleus contained "electrons" and that the nucleus was free from electrons. The emission of electrons from the nucleus still needed to be accounted for. Fermi's theory of beta-decay settled the question. Thanks to exchange interactions and beta-decay theory, quantum mechanics could now be applied to the nucleus, which could be considered free from electrons. Also the neutron could be considered free from electrons, and treated as a fundamental particle.
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"abstract": "The coming into light of the neutron is discussed. It is remarked that some\nexperiments had already suggested that the penetrating radiation from beryllium\nhad an electromagnetic component, before Joliot-Curies suggested the beryllium\nradiation consisted of high-energy gamma rays. Joliot-Curies\u0027 idea also relied\non the many Compton electron tracks in the Wilson chamber. In 1920, both\nHarkins and Rutherford foresaw the existence of a particle of mass 1 and zero\ncharge, consisting of one proton and one electron, though they did not give any\nname to it. In 1932, the neutron was finally observed by Chadwick. However, the\nquestion whether considering the neutron as a fundamental or a compound\nparticle still bothered the physicists and Chadwick himself for more than one\nyear. Instead, as soon as Majorana heard about Joliot-Curies\u0027 experiments he\nguessed the existence of a \"neutral proton.\" In 1933 he published some\n\"corrections\" to Heisenberg\u0027s theory. A very simple analysis shows that\nHeisenberg\u0027s original version of exchange interactions and Majorana\u0027s version\nclearly reflect, respectively, that the nucleus contained \"electrons\" and that\nthe nucleus was free from electrons. The emission of electrons from the nucleus\nstill needed to be accounted for. Fermi\u0027s theory of beta-decay settled the\nquestion. Thanks to exchange interactions and beta-decay theory, quantum\nmechanics could now be applied to the nucleus, which could be considered free\nfrom electrons. Also the neutron could be considered free from electrons, and\ntreated as a fundamental particle.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0603261",
"authors": [
"Alberto De Gregorio"
],
"categories": [
"physics.hist-ph",
"physics.gen-ph"
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"title": "Il \"protone neutro\". Ovvero della laboriosa esclusione degli elettroni dal nucleo",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0603261"
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