dorsal/arxiv
View Schema".. I didn't reflect much on what I was doing.." How Planck discovered his radiation formula
| Authors | Domenico Giulini, Norbert Straumann |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0010008 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0010008 |
Abstract
On December 14. 1900, Max Planck communicated his derivation of his radiation formula, which he later called ``an act of desperation''. This date is widely recognized as birthday of quantum theory. For Planck it meant the end of his carefully planned and ambitious research project, in which he wanted to establish the second law of thermodynamics as strictly deterministic law for systems of matter and electromagnetic radiation in interaction. He knew he could not succeed within classical mechanics, but had the somewhat strange hope that the inclusion of Maxwell's electrodynamics would change the situation. Later he always disagreed with Einstein's light-quantum hypothesis, because it implied a renunciation from Maxwell's theory, which in Germany gained full recognition and acceptance as late as the 1890's, mainly through the theoretical and experimental work of Heinrich Hertz.
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"abstract": "On December 14. 1900, Max Planck communicated his derivation of his radiation\nformula, which he later called ``an act of desperation\u0027\u0027. This date is widely\nrecognized as birthday of quantum theory. For Planck it meant the end of his\ncarefully planned and ambitious research project, in which he wanted to\nestablish the second law of thermodynamics as strictly deterministic law for\nsystems of matter and electromagnetic radiation in interaction. He knew he\ncould not succeed within classical mechanics, but had the somewhat strange hope\nthat the inclusion of Maxwell\u0027s electrodynamics would change the situation.\nLater he always disagreed with Einstein\u0027s light-quantum hypothesis, because it\nimplied a renunciation from Maxwell\u0027s theory, which in Germany gained full\nrecognition and acceptance as late as the 1890\u0027s, mainly through the\ntheoretical and experimental work of Heinrich Hertz.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0010008",
"authors": [
"Domenico Giulini",
"Norbert Straumann"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph",
"hep-ph",
"physics.hist-ph"
],
"title": "\".. I didn\u0027t reflect much on what I was doing..\" How Planck discovered his radiation formula",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0010008"
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