I have just finished reading an excellent book that traces various theories about beta decay in the first third of the Twentieth Century. Controversy and Consensus: Nuclear Beta Decay 1911-1934 is an editted version of the successful PhD thesis written by Carsten Jensen, who clearly had a deep passion for unravelling physics history but died … Continue reading Beta Decay and Energy Conservation
What is Spin?
Spin, when applied to fundamental particles, is a property rather than a description. The basic components of matter are not tiny spinning tops, like coins that are stood on edge then flicked on opposite sides to make them rotate. Instead, spin is a physical property that can be demonstrated and also a numerical value that … Continue reading What is Spin?
What is the Strong Nuclear Force?
When thinking about atoms, one of the obvious puzzles is how a nucleus stays together when it is packed with positively charged particles (protons). Why don't the positive protons simply repel each other, causing the nucleus to disintegrate? The fact that there are also neutral particles (neutrons) in the nucleus may “dilute” the positive charge … Continue reading What is the Strong Nuclear Force?
Discharge and Fluorescent lighting
The earliest ways of generating light all involved heat, whether that meant setting a fire, burning a pitch torch, lighting a wax candle or heating a mantle using a gas flame. When electricity arrived, thoughts turned from creating light by chemical means to the possibility of using an electric current. Initial approaches still involved the … Continue reading Discharge and Fluorescent lighting
Hideki Yukawa and Meson Theory
How does the nucleus of an atom stay together? Why don’t the positively-charged protons repel each other and cause the nucleus to disintegrate? The early models of the atom imagined solid spheres, perhaps with different sizes, shapes or “colours” distinguishing one type of atom from another. Then came J J Thomson’s discovery of the electron … Continue reading Hideki Yukawa and Meson Theory
Alpha and Beta Nuclear Decay
Radioactive decay happens when an unstable nucleus changes into the nucleus of a more stable (different) element. We know that elements are defined by the number of protons in their nucleus so the only way for an atom to change into something else is by either increasing or decreasing the number of protons that it … Continue reading Alpha and Beta Nuclear Decay
Atoms: Key Facts
There's an old science joke: "you should never trust atoms because they make up everything". And that's true. Atoms aren't liars (as far as I know) but they are the smallest parts of all substances. But what else are you expected to know? Firstly, atoms are really small. The diameter of a typical atom is … Continue reading Atoms: Key Facts
Non-binary electrons
On the final day of term, a member of my form tested me with a series of science jokes, the first of which was; “Why does a beef burger have less energy than a steak?” Pause here if you want to come up with your own solution. I must admit that I didn’t guess the … Continue reading Non-binary electrons
Resistance theory
Often it is true in physics that if you can understand one thing then it will automatically help you to understand something else. A good example of this occurs in resistance, where the model of resistance in a wire links directly to the behaviour of circuits that have resistors arranged either in series or in … Continue reading Resistance theory
DC and AC Electricity Pt1: Electron Movement
One of the most famous technological "wars" was the battle that raged almost 150 years ago between Thomas Edison's DC electricity and Nikola Tesla's AC electricity. For our purposes, we will put aside the stories of the two men (Edison was an inventor and businessman whereas Tesla was a scientist and idealist) and focus on … Continue reading DC and AC Electricity Pt1: Electron Movement
Mr Tarrant's physbang 'blog 