dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaTeaching Theoretical Physics: the cases of Enrico Fermi and Ettore Majorana
| Authors | A. De Gregorio, S. Esposito |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0602146 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0602146 |
| DOI | 10.1119/1.2746360 |
| Journal | Am.J.Phys.75:781-790,2007 |
Abstract
We report on theoretical courses by Fermi and Majorana, giving evidence of the first appearance and further development of Quantum Mechanics teaching in Italy. On the basis of original documents, we make a comparison between Fermi's and Majorana's approaches. A detailed analysis is carried out of Fermi's course on Theoretical Physics attended by Majorana in 1927-28. Three (previously unknown) programs on advanced Physics courses submitted by Majorana to the University of Rome between 1933 and 1936 and the course he held in Naples in 1938 complete our analysis: Fermi's phenomenological approach resounded in Majorana, who however combined it with a deeper theoretical approach, closer to the modern way of presenting Quantum Mechanics.
{
"annotation_id": "43383d02-2c81-4c11-b886-9b98cc51db8a",
"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:01:07.016000Z",
"date_modified": "2026-03-02T18:01:07.016000Z",
"file_hash": "8b94f523f9db6e652084c616a37fb8d5e66b70fbb07ce244de01650f0dba578c",
"private": false,
"record": {
"abstract": "We report on theoretical courses by Fermi and Majorana, giving evidence of\nthe first appearance and further development of Quantum Mechanics teaching in\nItaly. On the basis of original documents, we make a comparison between Fermi\u0027s\nand Majorana\u0027s approaches. A detailed analysis is carried out of Fermi\u0027s course\non Theoretical Physics attended by Majorana in 1927-28. Three (previously\nunknown) programs on advanced Physics courses submitted by Majorana to the\nUniversity of Rome between 1933 and 1936 and the course he held in Naples in\n1938 complete our analysis: Fermi\u0027s phenomenological approach resounded in\nMajorana, who however combined it with a deeper theoretical approach, closer to\nthe modern way of presenting Quantum Mechanics.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0602146",
"authors": [
"A. De Gregorio",
"S. Esposito"
],
"categories": [
"physics.hist-ph",
"hep-ph",
"physics.ed-ph",
"physics.gen-ph",
"physics.pop-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1119/1.2746360",
"journal_ref": "Am.J.Phys.75:781-790,2007",
"title": "Teaching Theoretical Physics: the cases of Enrico Fermi and Ettore Majorana",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0602146"
},
"schema_id": "dorsal/arxiv",
"source": {
"execution_id": "05243963-37e4-4cb0-ad36-fbab142ba874",
"id": "arXiv Dataset IDs",
"type": "Model",
"variant": "snapshot-2026-03-01",
"version": "0.1.0"
},
"user_id": 1000002
}