dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaNeutron physics in the early 1930s
| Authors | Alberto De Gregorio |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0510044 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0510044 |
| DOI | 10.1525/hsps.2005.35.2.293 |
| Journal | Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences, 35,2 (2005), pp. 293-340 |
Abstract
Dawning neutron physics was more complex than one might expect. The chance that the neutron comprised a proton and an electron was diffusely taken into account after the discovery of the neutron. Moreover, uncertainties persisted about the composition of beryllium radiation until it was realized that the latter comprised both neutrons and gamma-rays. The interaction of neutrons with matter and nuclei was soon investigated. Both a spatial symmetry, a symmetry of charge, and a symmetry in the nuclear reactions soon emerged. The relation of negative beta-decay to the neutron abundance in nuclei was moreover reviewed. Positive beta-radioactivity induced by alpha-particles was eventually announced, having been foreseen some weeks before. Accelerated deutons and protons shortly afterwards revealed to be efficient in inducing radioactivity. The physics institute in Rome got ready to start research on neutrons, but apparently it only planned to go through alpha-induced radioactivity, at first. If so, it is then plausible that some new results achieved by foreign laboratories eventually bent Fermi to neutrons. Fermi's discovery of neutron-induced radioactivity is reviewed with regard to investigations then current, once more showing simplicity as a distinctive trait of Fermi's way of doing physics.
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"abstract": "Dawning neutron physics was more complex than one might expect. The chance\nthat the neutron comprised a proton and an electron was diffusely taken into\naccount after the discovery of the neutron. Moreover, uncertainties persisted\nabout the composition of beryllium radiation until it was realized that the\nlatter comprised both neutrons and gamma-rays. The interaction of neutrons with\nmatter and nuclei was soon investigated. Both a spatial symmetry, a symmetry of\ncharge, and a symmetry in the nuclear reactions soon emerged. The relation of\nnegative beta-decay to the neutron abundance in nuclei was moreover reviewed.\nPositive beta-radioactivity induced by alpha-particles was eventually\nannounced, having been foreseen some weeks before. Accelerated deutons and\nprotons shortly afterwards revealed to be efficient in inducing radioactivity.\nThe physics institute in Rome got ready to start research on neutrons, but\napparently it only planned to go through alpha-induced radioactivity, at first.\nIf so, it is then plausible that some new results achieved by foreign\nlaboratories eventually bent Fermi to neutrons. Fermi\u0027s discovery of\nneutron-induced radioactivity is reviewed with regard to investigations then\ncurrent, once more showing simplicity as a distinctive trait of Fermi\u0027s way of\ndoing physics.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0510044",
"authors": [
"Alberto De Gregorio"
],
"categories": [
"physics.hist-ph",
"nucl-ex",
"physics.gen-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1525/hsps.2005.35.2.293",
"journal_ref": "Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences, 35,2\n (2005), pp. 293-340",
"title": "Neutron physics in the early 1930s",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0510044"
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