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Ni’ersi Bo’er ji [Chinese, i.e. ""Niels Bohr Collected Works""]. Vols. 1-10 [out of 12]. - [WITH DEDICATION FROM THE TRANSLATOR]
Shanghai, Huadong shifan daxue chubanshe, 1986 - 2001. 8vo. 10 volumes, all in publisher's uniform full cloth bindings with gilt lettering to spines and front boards. All volumes with presentation inscription from the translator to Niels Bohr's son, Ernest Bohr: ""To Mr. Ernest Bohr with / highest respect from / GeGe"". A fine and clean set of the first 10 volumes of Niels Bohr Collected Works.
![Ni’ersi Bo’er ji [Chinese, i.e. ""Niels Bohr Collected Works""]. Vols. 1-10 [out of 12]. - [WITH DEDICATION FROM THE TRANSLATOR]. "BOHR, NIELS. ...](https://static.livre-rare-book.com/pictures/LLX/57925_1_thumb.jpg)
First Chinese, and overall, translation of 'Niels Bohr Collected Works' with dedication inscription from the translator ot Bohr's son Ernest Bohr. Translator Prof. Ge Ge found Bohr’s personality and mode of thinking in harmony with traditional Chinese culture, which may be part of the explanation for his lifelong dedication to Niels Bohr and his work, and his great effort to translate and publish the only non-English edition of the Niels Bohr Collected Works in existence today. The first volume in English had appeared in 1972, and Ge Ge was able to publish a Chinese translation in 1986, fourteen years later.Ge Ge’s enthusiasm not only led to the Collected Works being published with impressive promptness in China, but no doubt provided additional motivation for the Director of the Niels Bohr Archive to prepare the volumes faster. In this way, Ge Ge had an influence even on the publication of the original edition. In 2001 Ge Ge received the prestigeousDanish Order of the Dannebrog “for hiscontribution to increasing the Chinese understanding of Danish science and promoting the Denmark-China scientific cooperation. He was in fact able to translate all the volumes of the Collected Works, the last volume of which was published in English in 2006. It testifies to Ge Ge’s dedication that he enthusiastically went on with the work in spite of having lost his eyesight" he died the following year. The volumes contain the following: Vol. 1: Early Work (1905-1911) Vol. 2: Work on Atomic Physics (1912-1917)Vol. 3: The Correspondence Principle (1918-1923) Vol. 4: The Periodic System (1920-1923)Vol. 5: The Emergence of Quantum Mechanics (mainly 1924-1926) Vol. 6: Foundations of Quantum Physics I (1926-1932) Vol. 7: Foundations of Quantum Physics II (1933-1958) Vol. 8: The Penetration of Charged Particles through Matter (1912-1954)Vol. 9: Nuclear Physics (1929-1952) Vol. 10: Complementarity beyond Physics (1928-1962)
Journal of Jocular Physics. Volume III. October 7, 1955. - [""THIS IS THE ATOM THAT BOHR BUILT""]
Copenhagen, Institute for Theoretical Physics, 1955. Small folio (A4). Blank wrappers, stapled under cloth back-stip. Stenciled manuscript. 48 numbered leaves with printing on rectos only. Illustrated.
One of the few scarce original stenciled copies of the ""Journal of Jocular Physics, Vol. III,"" the 1955-volume of the privately circulated amateur-comedy-journal that Bohr's students made on the occasions of Bohr's most important birthdays (beginning with his 50th in 1935), in this case his 70th. The ""Journal"" is an eclectic blend of funny and clever stories, songs, poems, aphorisms, humorous descriptions of recent developments in physics, etc., all written in an informal tone with the underlying subject being Bohr's birthday.Since 1929 most of the greatest physicists of the 20th century had been gathering around Niels Bohr for a conference in Copenhagen at the Bohr Institute. Since 1931 this conference had also included a skit prepared by the youngest of the participants, the ""Copenhagen Faust"" of 1932 being the most famous and important of them. It is this skit that later develops into the ""Journal of Jocular Physics"" which was prepared and compiled for Bohr's 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays, the first in 1935, the second in 1945, and the third (the present) in 1955. The 1955 ""Jocular Physics"" was the last of them. ""The early decades of the present century witnessed the heady development of the Quantum Theory of the atom, and during that era the roads of theoreticians of all nationalities led, not to Rome, but to Copenhagen, the home city of Niels Bohr, who was the first to formulate the correct atomic model. It became customary at the end of each spring conference at Blegdamsvej 15 (the street address of Bohr's Institute of Theoretical Physics) to produce a stunt pertaining to recent developments in physics.However Copenhagen was also the home of abundant humor. As a respite from the intensive and highly competitive efforts taking place to characterize fundamental interactions on an atomic scale, physicists took the time to develop satirical letters, articles, plays and other works."" (Gamow, Thirty Years that Shook Physics, pp. 167-68).In his Report at the Niels Bohr Archive Symposium, ""Copenhagen' and beyond: Drama meets history of science"", Yu.V. Gaponov accounts for the history of ""physical art"": ""The 1950s and 1960s were the golden age of the utmost prosperity in Physics. The atomic revolution having opened for the scientists a new world of quanta led soon to the nuclear fission discovery and to the first steps in techniques to dominate the atomic energy. The realization of national atomic programs which first took place in USA and then in Russia (USSR) and Great Britain had attracted the whole world's attention and placed Physics and the natural sciences in general in a top position. Being concerned with matters of physics became then exclusive and prestigious and physicists as individuals attracted the society's attention. They became heroes of literature, theater, movies, press. This process was observed in many advanced countries. It was also typical for the former USSR of those times, although owing to special social circumstances it had acquired some particular forms. One such form was the creation of ""Physical Art"" traditions... The birth of these traditions is commonly associated with the appearance at MSU PhysFac in 1960 of a Student Humor Festival called ""Birthday of Archimedes"" (later ""Physics Day"") along with a comic buffoonery opera ""Archimedes"" (authors - physicists and poets V. Kaner, V. Milyaev). However, MSU physicists consider the ""Physical Art"" traditions to have started earlier. Here are some remarkable milestones: In 1932 the well known ""Faust"" jocular opera and in 1935 the special issue of the ""Jocular Physics"" journal were written by some eminent physicists in connection with the 50th birthday of Niels Bohr.""The present 1955-volume contains numerous very funny contributions by physicists around Bohr, all based on physics humour, physics word-games etc. We have for instance ""A Voyage to Laplacia"" by L. Rosenfeld, a ""Confidential"" report ""Standardization of (physics) Papers"" by J. Lindhard,""Broken English"" by H.B.G. Casimir (""There exists today a universal language that is spoken and understood almost everywhere: it is Broken English. I am not referring to Pidgin English a highly formalized and restricted branch of B.E. but to the much more general language that is used by waiters in Hawai, prostitutes in Paris and ambassadors in Washington, by business-men from Buenos Aires, by scientists at international meetings and by dirty-postcard-peddlers in Greece, in short honourable people like myself all over the world..."" (p. 14), aphorisms (like: ""One Bohr can answer more questions than 10 philosophers can ask"", """"I will have to sleep on that"" the physicist said, he lay down on the floor"", etc.), ""A Remarkable ""V-event"""" by M. Sheep, ""The Heart on the other Side"" by G. Gamow (""""But father will never give his consent... He is looking for a son-in-law who can help him in his business, and eventually take it over. You can't possibly qualify for that, can you?"" ""No, I guess I can't,"" agreed Stan Situs sadly. ""I cannot possibly see how the kind of mathematics I am doing or, in fact, ANY kind of mathematics can help the production and selling of shoes...""), the poem ""The Atom that Bohr Built"", etc. The ""Journal of Jocular Physics"" is an important document portraying both one of the main physical centres of this physically important period and how one of the greatest scientific minds of the 20th century was viewed by his students and collaborators - as being not only brilliant in his field of research but also as a funny, likeable and sympathetic person. See also:Gino Segrè. Faust in Copenhagen. A Struggle for the Soul of Physics and the Birth of the Nuclear Age.""Pimlico, 2008.George Gamow. Thirty Years that Shook Physics. The Story of Quantum Theory. New York, 1966.
Journal of Jocular Physics. Volume III. October 7, 1955. - [""THIS IS THE ATOM THAT BOHR BUILT""]
Copenhagen, Institute for Theoretical Physics, 1955. Small folio (A4). Stapled, unbound. Stenciled manuscript. Edges a bit bumped. A bit of spotting to first leaf. 48 numbered leaves with printing on rectos only. Illustrated.
One of the few scarce original stenciled copies of the ""Journal of Jocular Physics, Vol. III,"" the 1955-volume of the privately circulated amateur-comedy-journal that Bohr's students made on the occasions of Bohr's most important birthdays (beginning with his 50th in 1935), in this case his 70th. The ""Journal"" is an eclectic blend of funny and clever stories, songs, poems, aphorisms, humorous descriptions of recent developments in physics, etc., all written in an informal tone with the underlying subject being Bohr's birthday.Since 1929 most of the greatest physicists of the 20th century had been gathering around Niels Bohr for a conference in Copenhagen at the Bohr Institute. Since 1931 this conference had also included a skit prepared by the youngest of the participants, the ""Copenhagen Faust"" of 1932 being the most famous and important of them. It is this skit that later develops into the ""Journal of Jocular Physics"" which was prepared and compiled for Bohr's 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays, the first in 1935, the second in 1945, and the third (the present) in 1955. The 1955 ""Jocular Physics"" was the last of them. ""The early decades of the present century witnessed the heady development of the Quantum Theory of the atom, and during that era the roads of theoreticians of all nationalities led, not to Rome, but to Copenhagen, the home city of Niels Bohr, who was the first to formulate the correct atomic model. It became customary at the end of each spring conference at Blegdamsvej 15 (the street address of Bohr's Institute of Theoretical Physics) to produce a stunt pertaining to recent developments in physics.However Copenhagen was also the home of abundant humor. As a respite from the intensive and highly competitive efforts taking place to characterize fundamental interactions on an atomic scale, physicists took the time to develop satirical letters, articles, plays and other works."" (Gamow, Thirty Years that Shook Physics, pp. 167-68).In his Report at the Niels Bohr Archive Symposium, ""Copenhagen' and beyond: Drama meets history of science"", Yu.V. Gaponov accounts for the history of ""physical art"": ""The 1950s and 1960s were the golden age of the utmost prosperity in Physics. The atomic revolution having opened for the scientists a new world of quanta led soon to the nuclear fission discovery and to the first steps in techniques to dominate the atomic energy. The realization of national atomic programs which first took place in USA and then in Russia (USSR) and Great Britain had attracted the whole world's attention and placed Physics and the natural sciences in general in a top position. Being concerned with matters of physics became then exclusive and prestigious and physicists as individuals attracted the society's attention. They became heroes of literature, theater, movies, press. This process was observed in many advanced countries. It was also typical for the former USSR of those times, although owing to special social circumstances it had acquired some particular forms. One such form was the creation of ""Physical Art"" traditions... The birth of these traditions is commonly associated with the appearance at MSU PhysFac in 1960 of a Student Humor Festival called ""Birthday of Archimedes"" (later ""Physics Day"") along with a comic buffoonery opera ""Archimedes"" (authors - physicists and poets V. Kaner, V. Milyaev). However, MSU physicists consider the ""Physical Art"" traditions to have started earlier. Here are some remarkable milestones: In 1932 the well known ""Faust"" jocular opera and in 1935 the special issue of the ""Jocular Physics"" journal were written by some eminent physicists in connection with the 50th birthday of Niels Bohr.""The present 1955-volume contains numerous very funny contributions by physicists around Bohr, all based on physics humour, physics word-games etc. We have for instance ""A Voyage to Laplacia"" by L. Rosenfeld, a ""Confidential"" report ""Standardization of (physics) Papers"" by J. Lindhard,""Broken English"" by H.B.G. Casimir (""There exists today a universal language that is spoken and understood almost everywhere: it is Broken English. I am not referring to Pidgin English a highly formalized and restricted branch of B.E. but to the much more general language that is used by waiters in Hawai, prostitutes in Paris and ambassadors in Washington, by business-men from Buenos Aires, by scientists at international meetings and by dirty-postcard-peddlers in Greece, in short honourable people like myself all over the world..."" (p. 14), aphorisms (like: ""One Bohr can answer more questions than 10 philosophers can ask"", """"I will have to sleep on that"" the physicist said, he lay down on the floor"", etc.), ""A Remarkable ""V-event"""" by M. Sheep, ""The Heart on the other Side"" by G. Gamow (""""But father will never give his consent... He is looking for a son-in-law who can help him in his business, and eventually take it over. You can't possibly qualify for that, can you?"" ""No, I guess I can't,"" agreed Stan Situs sadly. ""I cannot possibly see how the kind of mathematics I am doing or, in fact, ANY kind of mathematics can help the production and selling of shoes...""), the poem ""The Atom that Bohr Built"", etc. The ""Journal of Jocular Physics"" is an important document portraying both one of the main physical centres of this physically important period and how one of the greatest scientific minds of the 20th century was viewed by his students and collaborators - as being not only brilliant in his field of research but also as a funny, likeable and sympathetic person. See also:Gino Segrè. Faust in Copenhagen. A Struggle for the Soul of Physics and the Birth of the Nuclear Age.""Pimlico, 2008.George Gamow. Thirty Years that Shook Physics. The Story of Quantum Theory. New York, 1966.
On the Quantum Theory of Line-Spectra. Part I-II. [Off-print from ""D. Kgl. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skrifter"". - [BOHR'S CORRESPONDENCE PRINCIPLE - PRESENTATION-COPIES]
Copenhagen, Bianco Lunos, 1918. 4to. Both parts uncut and in the original printed wrappers. Wrappers detached and with small nicks and tears to extremities. Internally fine and clean. Part I unopened. 36 pp. + pp. (37) - 100.
First editions, author's off-prints (with ""Separate Copy"" printed to front wrappers), presentation-copies, of the first two parts of Bohr's seminal work ""On the Quantum Theory of the Line-Spectra"" (which appeared in three parts and which was never finished, the third part of which, published 4 years later, is almost never found in presentation-sets), in which Bohr gave his first clear presentation of his groundbreaking ""correspondence principle"": ""Which would play a pivotal role in the later development of atomic theory and its transformation into quantum mechanics."" (Kragh, Quantum Generations, p. 56). It eventually became a cornerstone in the quantum mechanics formulated by Heisenberg and Schrödinger. ""There was rarely in the history of physics a comprehensive theory which owed so much to one principle as quantum mechanics owed to Bohr's correspondence principle"" (Jammer 1966, p. 118). The evolution of quantum theory is divided into two distinct periods"" from 1900 to 1925, usually referred to as the period with the old quantum theory still grounded in classical physics and the second period with quantum mechanics from 1925 onwards. The general rules of quantum mechanics are very successful in describing objects on an atomic level. But macroscopic systems are accurately described by classical theories like classical mechanics and classical electrodynamics. If quantum mechanics were to be applicable to macroscopic objects, there must be some limit in which quantum mechanics reduces to classical mechanics. Bohr's correspondence principle demands that classical physics and quantum physics give the same answer when the systems become large. ""A major tool he developed for dealing with quantum problem, [...], was the correspondence principle, which establishes links between predictions of the classical theory and expectations for the quantum theory."" (Pais, Niels Bohr's Times, p. 20.). In this sense, the correspondence principle is not only an exceedingly important methodological principle, it also represents the transition to quantum mechanics and modern physics in general and it became the cornerstone of Bohr's philosophical interpretation of quantum mechanics which later would be closely tied to his thesis of complementarity and to the Copenhagen interpretation. Another version of the correspondence principle lives on in philosophical literature where it has taken form as a more general concept representing a development of new scientific theories.""By 1918 Bohr had visualized, at least in outline, the whole theory of atomic phenomena. ... He of course realized that he was still very far from a logically consistent framework wide enough to incorporate both the quantum postulates and those aspects of classical mechanics and electrodynamics that seemed to retain some validity. Nevertheless, he at once started writing up a synthetic exposition of his arguments and of all the evidence upon which they could have any bearing" in testing how well he could summarize what was known, he found occasion to check the soundness of his ideas and to improve their formulation. In the present case, however, he could hardly keep pace with the growth of the subject the paper he had in mind at the beginning developed into a four-part treatise, 'On the Theory of Line Spectra', publication of which dragged over four years without being completed" the first three parts appeared between 1918 and 1922 [of which the two first from 1918 are offered here], and the fourth, unfortunately, was never published. Thus, the full impact of Bohr's view remained confined to the small but brilliant circle of his disciples, who indeed managed better than their master to make them more widely known by the prompter publication of their own results"" (D.S.B. II: 246-47).Inscribed to ""Hr. Docent D. la Cour/ Venskabeligst/ fra/ Forfatteren"" on both front wrappers. The renowned Danish physicist and meteorologist Dan la Cour (1876-1942), was the son of the great Poul la Cour (1846-1908), who is considered the ""Danish Edison"". Dan la Cour was the assistant of Niels Bohr's father, Christian Bohr, and a well known scientist. From 1903, he was head of the department of the Meteorological Institute, and from 1923 leader thereof. From 1908 he was Associate Professor at the Polytechnic College. His original scientific works are highly respected, as are his original apparati for measuring earth magnetism which are considered highly valuable. ""His original intelligence, which in many ways resemble that of his father, also bore fruit in his patenting of various inventions: the ""Pyknoprobe"", developed to quickly determine the different layers of the sea"" a use of termite in quickly heating food and drinks out in the open under unfavourable weather conditions."" (From the Danish Encyclopaedia - own translation). He wrote a number of important and esteemed works and was member of the Danish Scientific Academy as well as many prominent international scientific commissions of meteorology and geophysics (i.e. president of the International Geodetical and Geophysical Union). He was also honorary Doctor at the George Washington University. Rosenfeld, Bohr-Bibliography, 15.
"BOHR, NIELS AND F. KALCKAR. - THE LIQUID DROP MODEL OF BOHR INTRODUCED.
Reference : 48816
(1937)
On the Transmutation of Atomic Nuclei by Impact of Material Particles. I. General theoretical Remarks. (all published)
Copenhagen, Levin & Munksgaard,1937. 8vo. Uncut in orig. printed wrappers. In: ""Det KGL. Danske Videnskabernes Selskab. Mathematisk-fysiske Meddelelser. XIV,10"". 40 pp. Fine and clean.
First edition of the work in which Bohr introduced his famous Liquid Drop Model of the atom in order to interprete the nuclear structure. (The paper was not continued as Kalckar died the following year).""It had, of course, been clear to Bohr that analogies with atomic spectra could not be of help in interpreting his (earlier) picture of nuclear structure. Peripheral electrons, thinly spread within the atomic volume, can be compared to a dilute gas of particles interacting in pairs only. By contrast Bohr's picture of intranuclear motions of tightly bound nucleons should show 'essential collective aspects', he said. Now, together with Kalckar, he suggested that for nuclei a much more proper comparison would be with a drop of liquid. That analogy should not be taken too literally, the dynamics of a true liquid drop is vastly different from thta of nucleai. Yet the comparison, treated cautiously, was tempting and in the event proved fruitful in many respects, particularly in regard to collective motions.""(Pais ""Niels Bohr's Times"", pp. 339-40).""In the liquid drop model, formulated by Niels Bohr, the nucleons are imagined to interact strongly with each other, like the molecules in a drop of liquid. A given nucleon collides frequently with other nucleons in the nuclear interior, its mean free path as it moves about being substantially less than the nuclear radius. This constant ""jiggling around"" reminds us of the thermal agitation of the molecules in a drop of liquid. The liquid drop model permits us to correlate many facts about nuclear masses and binding energies"" it is useful in explaining nuclear fission. It also provides a useful model for understanding a large class of nuclear reactions."" (FAQ).Rosenfeld No 56.
On the Theory of Decrease of Velocity of Moving Electrified Particles on passing through Matter - [THE FOUNDATION OF BOHR'S ATOMIC THEORY]
London, Taylor & Francis, 1913. 8vo. Bound in one nice contemporary half calf binding with gilt leather title-label to spine. Published in ""The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science"", Vol. 25. No. 145-150 offered. Small repair to spine and blind stamped to lower part of title page. The Bohr papers: pp. 10-31. [Entire volume: VIII, 876 pp.+ 10 plates].
![On the Theory of Decrease of Velocity of Moving Electrified Particles on passing through Matter - [THE FOUNDATION OF BOHR'S ATOMIC THEORY]. "BOHR, ...](https://static.livre-rare-book.com/pictures/LLX/51729_1_thumb.jpg)
![On the Theory of Decrease of Velocity of Moving Electrified Particles on passing through Matter - [THE FOUNDATION OF BOHR'S ATOMIC THEORY]. "BOHR, ...](https://static.livre-rare-book.com/pictures/LLX/51729_2_thumb.jpg)
Bohr's seminal first work on nuclear physics, being the work that lays the foundation for his atomic theory (published before his ""On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules""), in which he is able to conclude ""that a hydrogen atom contains only 1 electron outside the positively charged nucleus, and that a helium atom only contains 2 electrons outside the nucleus ."" ""Bohr's 1913 paper on alpha-particles [i.e. the present], which he had begun in Manchester, and which had led him to the question of atomic structure, marks the transition to his great work, also of 1913, on that same problem. While still in Manchester, he had already begun an early sketch of those entirely new ideas."" (Pais, p. 128). The present work must be considered one of the most important to the birth of modern atomic theory.After finishing his studies in Copenhagen, Bohr went to Cambridge in order to pursue his studies on electron theory under the guidance of J.J. Thompson. Thompson, who was beginning to lose interest in the subject by now, did, however, not recognize the genious of the young Bohr, and as soon as he could, Bohr went to Manchester, where Ernest Rutherford had established a laboratory. ""There, from March to July 1912, working with utmost concentration, he [i.e. Bohr] laid the foundation for his greatest achievements in physics, the theory of the atomic constitution."" (DSB). Bohr's survey of the implications of Rutherford's atomic model had led him to attack the much harder problem which lay at the core of it, namely determining the exact nature of the relation between the atomic number and the number of electrons in the atom. ""Bohr obtained a much deeper insight into the problem by a brilliant piece of work, which he - working, as he said, ""day and night"" - completed with astonishing speed"" (DSB), that paper being the present ""On the Theory of the Decrease of Velocity of Moving electrified Particles on passing through Matter"", which thus constitutes his very first publication on the subject, published immediately after this dense period of 1912, in the Philosophical Magazine of January 1913. ""The problem was one of immediate interest for Rutherford's laboratory: in their passage through a material medium, alpha particles continually lose energy by ionizing the atoms they encounter, at a rate depending on their velocity. Their energy loss limits the depth to which the particles can penetrate into the medium, and the relation between this depth, or range, and the velocity offers a way of determining this velocity. What Bohr did was to analyze the ionizing process on the basis of the Rutherford model of the atom and thus express the rate of energy loss in terms of the velocity by a much more accurate formula than had so far been achieved-a formula, in fact, to which modern quantum mechanics adds only nonessential refinements"" (DSB). In the present work, Bohr was thus able to conclude: ""In this paper the theory of the decrease of velocity of moving electrified particles in passing through matter is given in a form, such that the rate of the decrease in the velocity depends on the frequency of vibration of the electrons in the atoms of the absorbing material."" as well as the seminal words that have been formative for the birth of the modern atomic theory: ""Adopting Prof. Rutherford's theory of the constitution of atoms, it seems that it can be concluded with great certainty, from the absorption of alpha-rays, that a hydrogen atom contains only 1 electron outside the positively charged nucleus, and that a helium atom only contains 2 electrons outside the nucleus "". Bohr continues: ""These questions and some further information about the constitution of atoms which may be got from experiments on the absorption of alpha-rays, will be discussed in more detail in a later paper."" (pp. 30-31 of the original paper) - the last sentence referring directly to his three part ""On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules"", in which he went on to present his postulates of the orbital structure of the electrons and their quantized radiation. Rosenfeld, Bohr Bibliography No. 5. Rosenfeld, Dictionary of Scientific Biography II, pp. 240-41. Pais, Niels Bohr's Times, pp. 117-31.
Logarithmisch-Trigonometrische Tafeln mit fünf Decimalstellen. Sechste Stereotyp-auflage. - [FROM THE LIBRARY OF NIELS BOHR]
Berlin, P. Stankiewicz, (forword dated 1884). 8vo. Publishers blind stamped cloth. With RUBBER STAMP of NIELS BOHR and HANDWRITTEN SIGNATURE of CHRISTIAN. XVI,173,(1),(2) pp.
From the library of physicist Niels Bohr and his father Christian Bohr.
Determination of the Surface-Tension of Water by the Method of Jet Vibration. Offprint from: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series A, Vol. 209. pp. 281-317. - [BOHR'S FIRST PUBLISHED PAPER - PRESENTATION COPY]
London, Harrison & Sons, 1909 Large4to. Original printed wrappers. Offprint from: ""Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series A, Vol. 209. pp. 281-317."" With cloth backstrip and I small nick to upper and lower corner of front wrapper. A fine and clean copy. Pp. 281-317.
Scarce first edition, off-print issue, of Bohr's first published paper, constituting his only ever work in experimental physics. ""His first research project, a precision measurement of the surface tension of water by the observation of a regularly vibrating jet, was completed in 1906, when he was still a student, and it won him the gold medal from the Academy of Sciences. It is a mature piece of work, remarkable for the care and thoroughness with which both the experimental and theoretical parts of the problem were handled."" (DSB).This Bohr's fist paper grew out of a work which Bohr did in 1906, and for which he won a gold medal from the Academy of Sciences. The subject was to experimentally investigate a method, proposed by Lord Rayleigh, for measuring the surface tension of water by the observation of a regularly vibrating jet. ""Bohr [...] included in his work essential improvements on Rayleigh's theory by taking into account the influence of the liquid's viscosity and of the ambient air, and by extending the earlier theory from infinitesimal to arbitrary large vibration amplitudes. In order to execute his experiments he had first of all to cope with one complication. The university had no physics laboratory."" (Pais, p. 101). Bohr thus constructed many of the instruments himself using his father's laboratory. """"I did the experiments completely alone alone in the physiological laboratory... it was a great amount of work"", which was technically demanding."" (Pais, p. 102). In spite of being Bohr's only ever work in experimental physics, it documents his deep understanding of the methods of experimentalists.""On 23 February 1907 the Academy notified him that he had won its gold medal. In 1908 he submitted a modified version to the Royal Society in London. It was his first and last paper on experiments he himself performed. His second publication was his last to deal with surface tension of liquids"" it was purely theoretical. Both papers were favorably referred to in later literature.The manuscript of the prize essay, never published in its original form, is preserved in the Bohr Archives. It is handwritten, by Harald Bohr [i.e. his brother]."" (Pais, p. 102), Rosenfeld, Bohr Bibliography No. 1. Rosenfeld, Dictionary of Scientific Biography II, pp. 239. Pais, Niels Bohr's Times, pp. 101-02.
The quantum postulate and the recent development of atomic theory. - [COINING THE TERM 'COMPLEMENTARITY']
London, Macmillan and Co., 1928. Royal8vo. In recent full blue cloth with gilt lettering to spine. Extracted from ""Nature"", January - June, 1928, Vol. 121. Entire April 14-issue offered. Fine and clean. [Bohr:] Pp. 580-90. [Entire issue:] Pp. 561-608.
First edition of Bohr's exceedingly influential statement of his 'complementarity' principle, the basis of what became known as the 'Copenhagen interpretation' of quantum mechanics. In the paper he coined the term 'complementarity' and thereby created an entire new fundamental principle of quantum mechanics.""Immediately after Heisenberg's work on uncertainty relations, Bohr presented his concept of complementarity at a conference a Lake Como in Italy. Bohr's lecture marked the first attempt to provide a genuine philosophical underpinning to the new advances in physics. The uncertainty relations had provided Bohr a concrete measure of the consequences of the wave-particle duality and thereby a physics-based justification for the ideas he was working on. Bohr had already embraced the wave-particle duality underlying quantum theory and he presented the concept of complementarity as the fundamental feature of a new conceptual framework broad enough to include it"" (Paul McEvoy, Niels Bohr). ""For Bohr, complementarity was an almost religious belief that the paradoxes of the quantum world must be accepted as fundamental, not to be 'solved' or trivialized by attempts to find out 'what's really going on down there.' Bohr used the word in an unusual way: the 'complementarity' of waves and particles, for example (or of position and momentum), meant that when one existed fully, its complement did not exist at all"" (Louisa Gilder, The Age of Entanglement). ""The lecture was published in Nature in 1928 in a revised form It sparked significant debate in the years that followed and solidified the boundaries between those who accepted Bohr's view of the consequences of quantum theory and those who were seeking a more 'realistic' microscopic theory or a more realistic interpretation of quantum theory itself"" (McEvoy, P. 70).The paper was published almost simultaneously in English, Danish, English, French and German, the present English publication being the first.
Atomteori og Naturbeskrivelse. 3 Artikler med en indledende Oversigt. - [PRESENTATION-COPY]
Copenhagen, Bianco Lunas, 1929. Royal 8vo. Original printed wrappers. Torn at top of front wrapper, no loss. Small loss to capitals. Tear to top of title-page, causing loss of ab. 1x1 cm, but not to the inscription, nor to lettering. The tear goes through the first part of the inscription, but there is no loss of any of it. 76 pp.
First edition thus, of the three articles that together constitute one of the most important contributions to modern Danish culture. Inscribed by Bohr (signed ""the author"") on the title-page: ""Hr. Direktør D. la Cour/ med venlig Hilsen / fra Forfatteren"". The work constitutes the first Danish translations of the present three articles: ""Atomic Theory and Mechanics"" (1925, Rosenfeld 33), ""The Quantum Postulate and the Recent Development of Atomic Theory"" (1928, Rosenfeld 37), and ""Wirkungsquantum und Naturbeschreibung"", (1929, Rosenfeld 39), here published together for the first time under the title ""Atomic Theory and the Description of Nature"" and with an introductory overview. The present collection of articles, translated into Danish, Bohr's mother tongue, constitutes an important insight into Bohr's thought and fundamental views on atomic theory and nature. The work, as it is here, has been elected as the Bohr-entry in the official list of Danish canonic literature, which collects the most important literary contributions to Danish culture. This is the only Bohr-item on the list. (see: http://www.kanonudvalget.dk). The work is inscribed to renowned Danish physicist and meteorologist Dan la Cour (1876-1942), son of the great Poul la Cour (1846-1908), who is considered the ""Danish Edison"". Dan la Cour was the assistant of Niels Bohr's father, Christian Bohr, and a well known scientist. From 1903, he was head of the department of the Meteorological Institute, and from 1923 leader thereof. From 1908 he was Associate Professor at the Polytechnic College. His original scientific works are highly respected, as are his original apparati for measuring earth magnetism which are considered highly valuable. ""His original intelligence, which in many ways resemble that of his father, also bore fruit in his patenting of various inventions: the ""Pyknoprobe"", developed to quickly determine the different layers of the sea"" a use of termite in quickly heating food and drinks out in the open under unfavourable weather conditions."" (From the Danish Encyclopaedia - own translation). He wrote a number of important and esteemed works and was member of the Danish Scientific Academy as well as many prominent international scientific commissions of meteorology and geophysics (i.e. president of the International Geodetical and Geophysical Union). He was also honorary Doctor at the George Washington University. Rosenfeld, Bohr Bibliography No. 40.
Festskrift til Professor Dr. Niels Bohr. Paa 50 aars dagen d. 7. oktober 1935.
Kjøbenhavn, J. Jørgensen & Co., 1935. 8vo. In the original printed wrappers, uncut. Offprint from ""Fysisk Tidsskrift"". Frontiespiece of Bohr. Corners a bit bumped and a small tear to upper capital, other fine and clean throughout. Pp. 77-220.
First printing of this commemoration to Niels Bohr on his 50ies birthday. It consists of the following papers and essays written by Bohr's student and fellow physicians. Kramers H.A. Atom- og kvanteteoriens udvikling 1 aarene 1913-1925.Heisenberg, w. Udviklingen af kvanteteoriens principielle grundlag efter 1925. Klein, O. Den elektriske elementarladning og kvanteteorien. Rosenfeld, L. Kvanteteori og feltfysik. Ambrosen, J. Om neutronen. Bjerge, T. & F. Kalckar. Atomkærnernes egenskaber og opbygning.Bøggild, J.K. Højdestraalingen. Jacobsen, J.C. Absorption af Røntgen- og v-straaler.Langseth, A. Isotopeffekten i molekylspektrene. Madsen, C. B. Isotoper.Møller, C. Om positronteorien.Rasmussen, Ebbe. Spektralliniernes hyperfinstruktur. Rasmussen, R. E. H. Lidt om adsorption, refleksion og energiudveksling ved molekylstød mod faste overflader. Thorsen, V. Den elektriske lysbue. Werner, Sven. Atomernes størrelse.
On the Effect of Electric and Magnetic Fields on Spectral Lines. [Off-print From the Philosophical Magazine (Vol. 27) for March 1914]. - [EXPANDING QUANTUM THEORY - PRESENTATION-COPY]
[London, Taylor & Francis], 1913. 8vo. Original printed wrappers. Excellent, very fresh copy, with only a two small marginal tears to front wrapper, no loss. Spine and cords completely fresh and fully intact. Pp. (1) +506-525.
![On the Effect of Electric and Magnetic Fields on Spectral Lines. [Off-print From the Philosophical Magazine (Vol. 27) for March 1914]. - [EXPANDING ...](https://static.livre-rare-book.com/pictures/LLX/46417_1_thumb.jpg)
Scarce first edition, off-print issue with presentation-inscription, of Bohr's first paper on the Stark-effect, being the seminal paper in which Bohr for the first time applies his theory to electric effect and expresses his widening interest in quantum theory. The work is inscribed to the famous Danish physicist ""Hr. Mag. scient. A.W. Marke/ med venlig Hilsen/ fra Forfatteren"" (""Mr. Master of Sciences A.W. Marke/ with kind regards/ from the author""). Axel Waldbuhm Marke (1883 - 1942) was professor of Physics in Copenhagen. His scientific works were originally centred around magnetic investigations, for which he was trained by P. Weiss in Zürich, in 1914. Due to WWI, he had to return, however, and during the difficult journey back, he lost all of his records. In 1916 he published an important work on the thermomagnetic qualities of water, and he has written a number of highly praised text books on physics, optics, meteorology, and climatology. He was renowned for his great skills in popularizing difficult scientific results and was famous for his lectures. The Stark-effect (the shifting and splitting of spectral lines of atoms and molecules due to presence of an external static electric field) is named after Johannes Stark, who discovered it in 1913. Although Stark shortly after having discovered it became and ally of Nazi Germany and rejected the developments of modern physics, his discovery became of the utmost importance to the development of quantum theory.""Once again we must go back to November 1913. On the 20th of that month Stark announced to the Prussian Academy of Sciences an important new discovery: when atomic hydrogen is exposed to a static electric field its spectral lines split, the amount of splitting being proportional to the field strength. (the linear Stak effect). After Rutherford read this news in ""Nature"", he at once wrote Bohr: ""I think it is rather up to you at the present to write something on... electric effects.""We now encounter for the first time the widening interest in quantum theory [...] Even before Bohr sat down to work on the Stark effect, Warburg from Berlin published an article in which the Bohr theory is applied to this new phenomenon. Bohr's own paper [i.e. the present] on the subject appeared in March 1914. The next year he returned to the same topic."" (Pais, Niels Bohr's Times, p. 182). Rosenfeld: No. 10.
London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical magazine and Journal of Science. Vol. XXVI - Sixth Serie
Londres, Taylor and Francis, juillet - décembre 1913, in-4, 1064 pp. 24 pl, Broché, couverture imprimée de l'éditeur, Fort volume réunissant les numéros 151 à 156 de cette revue scientifique de premier ordre, fondée en 1798 par le naturaliste anglais Richard Taylor. Il contient, en édition originale, l'article de Niels Bohr "On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules" en trois parties (n° 151, 153 et 155) ; Ernest Rutherford, en collaboration avec son élève H. Richardson, pour "Analysis of the Gamma Rays from Radium D and Radium E" (n° 152) et "Analysis of the Gamma Rays of the Thorium and Actinium products" (n° 156) ; ainsi que l'article d'Henry G.J. Moseley "The High-Frequency Spectra of the Elements" (n° 156) : ? Niels Bohr (1885 1962), "On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules" : dans ce texte fondamental sur la constitution des atomes et des molécules, le scientifique danois met au point sa théorie qui refonde le modèle de l'atome de Rutheford, alors en usage. Il introduit la notion d'état stationnaire des électrons, joint le modèle de l'atome de Rutherford à la théorie quantique de Planck et invente ainsi le modèle de Bohr, qui, bien qu'il ait été révisé depuis, a permis d'autres découvertes scientifiques également importantes. ? Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937), "Analysis of the Gamma Rays from Radium D and Radium E" et "Analysis of the Gamma Rays of the Thorium and Actinium products" : le physicien néo-zélandais publie ici ses recherches à propos des rayons gamma provenant du radium D et radium E puis du thorium et de l'actinium. Il a créé le nom de rayonnement gamma et les a déjà divisés en deux groupes en fonction de leur puissance pénétrante. ? Henry Moseley (1887-1915), "The High-Frequency Spectra of the Elements": l'élève, puis le collaborateur de Rutherford, a mené les expériences de cet article dans son propre laboratoire. Le scientifique britannique cherche à y mesurer les spectres de rayons X en plaçant les éléments dans des tubes sous vide puis en les bombardant d'électrons. Grâce à ce dispositif, il mettra en évidence la loi de Moseley qui met en relation les longueurs d'onde des rayons X et le numéro atomique des éléments, concept qu'il découvre et nomme. Cet découverte permettra de compléter le tableau périodique de Mendeleïev de ses éléments encore non connus. Bel ensemble d'articles scientifiques novateurs dans leur édition originale. Exemplaire non coupé. Cachets de l'Institut catholique de Paris. Dos refait, un peu fragile. PMM, 407. DSB, Rutherford, Moseley. Couverture rigide
Bon 1064 pp. 24 pl.
"BOHR, NIELS. & LÉON ROSENFELD. + LEV LANDAU & RUDOLF PEIERLS.
Reference : 35750
(1933)
[Three papers] 1. Zur Frage der Messbarkeit der elektomagnetischen Feldgrössen. + 2. Erweiterung des Unbestimmtheitsprinzips für die relativistische Quantentheorie. + 3. Field and Charge Measurements in Quantum Electrodynamics. - [QUANTUM FIELD THEORY]
Copenhagen, Levin & Munksgaard, 1933. + Berlin, Springer 1931. + Lancaster, American Physical Society, 1950. First paper: Published as no. 8 of vol. 12 in 'Kgl. Dankse Vid. Selsk. Math.-Fys. Medd.'. 8vo. Original printed wrappers. With the ownership signature of Danish physicist Mogens Pihl (Prof. of physics at Copenhagen University 1957-77). 65,(1) pp. Second paper: Published in 'Zeitschrift für Physik', vol. 69, pp.56-69. The entire volume in contemporary half cloth offered here.Third paper: Published in 'The Physical Review', vol. 78, no. 6, pp.794-798. The entire issue in original printed wrappers offered here. With rubber stamp of Danish physicist Christian Møller (Author of ""The Theory of Relativity, 1952"").
First editions of these fundamental papers in the development of quantum field theory. The process of measuring electromagnetic fields involves the observation of charged test bodies in those fields. Therefore the theory of electrodynamics is an inseparable extension of mechanics. A quantum theory of fields thus inherits, in some form, the limitations of measurement which lie at the foundation of quantum mechanics. In 1931 Landau and Peierls published a critical analysis of the consequences of such limitations in a relativistic quantum theory of fields (second paper offered). Landau and Peierls came to the negative conclusion that in several cases, the concept of momentum was without physical meaning and quantities such as the strength of a field was un-measurable. In their famous paper from 1933 Bohr and Rosenfeld (first paper offered) carefully reviewed the arguments of Landau and Peierls and showed, through the use of particular measuring arrangements, that a consistent quantum theory of fields is possible without further limitations than the ones which secure the consistency of quantum mechanics. The BR-paper is often credited with having laid the foundation for quantum electrodynamics. Bohr continued his work in this field, and in 1937 he completed a manuscript entitled ""Field and Charge Measurement in Quantum Theory"", but this was never published. When, in the late 1940s the important work on QED by Tomonaga, Schwinger, Dyson, and Feynman appeared in The Physical Review, Bohr and Rosenfeld again joined and published the essentials of the 1937 manuscript in the same journal (third paper offered).See Abraham Pais: Bohr's Times, pp.358-364. Mehra & Rechenberg: The Historical Development of Quantum Theory, vol. 6, pp.697-703. Collected Works of Niels Bohr, vol. 7, pp.3-33.
Zur Frage der Messbarkeit der elektromagnetischen Feldgrössen.
København (Copenhagen), Levin & Munksgaard, 1933. Orig. printed wrappers. Backstrip with 2 small nicks and frontcover a bit faded at margins. 65 pp. (Det Kgl. Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, Mathematisk-fysiske Meddelelser XII,8).
First edition of this fundamental papers in the development of quantum field theory. The process of measuring electromagnetic fields involves the observation of charged test bodies in those fields. Therefore the theory of electrodynamics is an inseparable extension of mechanics. A quantum theory of fields thus inherits, in some form, the limitations of measurement which lie at the foundation of quantum mechanics. In 1931 Landau and Peierls published a critical analysis of the consequences of such limitations in a relativistic quantum theory of fields. Landau and Peierls came to the negative conclusion that in several cases, the concept of momentum was without physical meaning and quantities such as the strength of a field was un-measurable. In their famous paper from 1933 Bohr and Rosenfeld (the work offered) carefully reviewed the arguments of Landau and Peierls and showed, through the use of particular measuring arrangements, that a consistent quantum theory of fields is possible without further limitations than the ones which secure the consistency of quantum mechanics. The BR-paper is often credited with having laid the foundation for quantum electrodynamics. Bohr continued his work in this field, and in 1937 he completed a manuscript entitled ""Field and Charge Measurement in Quantum Theory"", but this was never published. When, in the late 1940s the important work on QED by Tomonaga, Schwinger, Dyson, and Feynman appeared in The Physical Review, Bohr and Rosenfeld again joined and published the essentials of the 1937 manuscript in the same journal.See Abraham Pais: Bohr's Times, pp.358-364. Mehra & Rechenberg: The Historical Development of Quantum Theory, vol. 6, pp.697-703. Collected Works of Niels Bohr, vol. 7, pp.3-33.
On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules. 3 Parts (all). (+) The High-Frequency Spectra of the Elements. - [THE BIRTH OF MODERN ATOMIC THEORY (PMM 411)]
London, Taylor & Francis, 1913. 8vo. Bound in one nice contemporary half calf binding with gilt leather title-label to spine. Published in ""The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science"", Vol. 26. No. 151-156 offered. Small repair to spine and blind stamped to lower part of title page. Front hindge a bit loose. A fine copy. The Bohr papers: pp. 1-25" pp. 476-502 pp. 857-875. [Moseley:] Pp. 1024-1034. [Entire volume: VIII, 1064 pp.+ 24 plates].
First edition of Bohr's seminal main work, which constitutes the departure from classical theories to the birth of modern atomic physics" by incorporating Planck's quantum postulate it became possible to calculate the wavelength of the hydrogen emission and thus to explain the regularity of the Balmer-lines. In 1922 Bohr was awarded the Nobel Prize ""for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them"".""Bohr's three-part paper postulated the existence of stationary states of an atomic system whose behavior could be described using classical mechanics, while the transition of the system from one stationary state to another would represent a non-classical process accompanied by emission or absorption of one quantum of homogeneous radiation, the frequency of which was related to its energy by Planck's equation"" (Norman).In his previous paper (""On the Theory of Decrease of Velocity of Moving Electrified Particles on passing through Matter"") Bohr had adopted Rutherford's nuclear model of the atom, and had become convinced that it was the peripherical electrons that determined the chemical properties of an element, whereas the nucleus determine the radioactive properties. However, Rutherford's model had an apparent explanatory problem: Why were the negatively charged electrons held away from the positive nucleus? In his doctorial dissertation on the electron theory of metals, Bohr had clarified the limitations of this theory, in particular its ability to explain magnetic properties, and he had shown how this arose from the classical nature of some of its foundations. Bohr strongly expected that the key to solving this problem was to be found in some way of introducing Planck's law of quantum action.In the beginning of 1913 Bohr heard about Rydberg's remarkable discovery in spectroscopy. Rydberg's formula could represent the frequencies of the lines of the hydrogen spectrum in the simplest form in terms of two integers. As soon as Bohr saw this formula, he immediately recognized that it gave him the missing clue to the correct way to introduce Planck's law of quantum of action into the description of the atomic systems. The rest of the academic year was spent reconstructing the whole theory upon the new foundation and expounding it in a large treatise, which was immediately published as these three papers in the 'Philosophical Magazine'. It was in these papers that Bohr first gave his postulates of the orbital structure of the electrons and their quantized radiation.Bohr's atomic theory inaugurated two of the most adventurous decades in the history of science. Bohr introduced the following postulates: 1. An electron can revolve about its nucleus only in certain special circular orbits. 2. The ordinary electron revolves about its nucleus in an invariable orbit, without radiating or absorbing energy. 3. Radiation takes place when and only when the electron falls from an orbit with greater energy to one of less energy.""In his great papers of 1913, Bohr presented his theory as being founded upon two postulates, whose formulation he refined in later papers. The first postulate enunciates the existence of stationary states of an atomic system, the behavior of which may be described in terms of classical mechanics" the second postulate states that the transition of the system from one stationary state to another is a nonclassical process, accompanied by the emission or absorption of one quantum of homogeneous radiation, whose frequency is connected with its energy by Planck's equation. As for the principle by which the possible stationary states are selected, Bohr was still very far from a general formulation" indeed, he was keenly aware of the necessity of extending the investigation to configurations other than the simple ones to which he had restricted himself. The search for sufficiently general quantum conditions defining the stationary states of atomic systems was going to be a major problem in the following period of development of the theory."" (DSB).Also contained in the volume is Henry Moseley's famous paper ""The High-Frequency Spectra of the Elements"" in which he ""used the method of X-ray spectroscopy devised by Braggs to calculate variations in the wave length of the rays emitted by each element. These he was able to arrange in a series according to the nuclear charge of each element. [...] It was now possible to base the periodic table on a firm foundation, and to state with confidence that the number of elements up to uranium is limited to 92."" (PMM 407).PMM 411Rosenfeld, Bohr Bibliography No. 6.
On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules. 3 Parts (all). - [THE BIRTH OF MODERN ATOMIC THEORY (PMM 411)]
London, Taylor & Francis, 1913. 8vo. Bound together in one very nice recent marbled paper binding with gilt leather title-label to spine. Published in ""The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science"", Vol. 26: July 1913, No. 151 (pp. 1-232 + 6 plates) - September 1913, No 153 (pp. 381-548) - November 1913, No 155 (pp. 802-936 + 6 plates). (The 3 whole numbers of the journal offered). The Bohr papers: pp. 1-25" pp. 476-502 pp.857-875.
![On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules. 3 Parts (all). - [THE BIRTH OF MODERN ATOMIC THEORY (PMM 411)]. "BOHR, NIELS.](https://static.livre-rare-book.com/pictures/LLX/39305_1_thumb.jpg)
![On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules. 3 Parts (all). - [THE BIRTH OF MODERN ATOMIC THEORY (PMM 411)]. "BOHR, NIELS.](https://static.livre-rare-book.com/pictures/LLX/39305_2_thumb.jpg)
![On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules. 3 Parts (all). - [THE BIRTH OF MODERN ATOMIC THEORY (PMM 411)]. "BOHR, NIELS.](https://static.livre-rare-book.com/pictures/LLX/39305_3_thumb.jpg)
First edition of Bohr's seminal main work, which constitutes the departure from classical theories" by incorporating Planck's quantum postulate it became possible to calculate the wavelength of the hydrogen emission and thus to explain the regularity of the Balmer-lines.In his previous paper (""On the Theory of Decrease of Velocity of Moving Electrified Particles on passing through Matter"") Bohr had adopted Rutherford's nuclear model of the atom, and had become convinced that it was the peripherical electrons that determined the chemical properties of an element, whereas the nucleus determine the radioactive properties. However, Rutherford's model had an apparent explanatory problem: Why were the negatively charged electrons held away from the positive nucleus? In his doctorial dissertation on the electron theory of metals, Bohr had clarified the limitations of this theory, in particular its ability to explain magnetic properties, and he had shown how this arose from the classical nature of some of its foundations. Bohr strongly expected that the key to solving this problem was to be found in some way of introducing Planck's law of quantum action.In the beginning of 1913 Bohr heard about Rydberg's remarkable discovery in spectroscopy. Rydberg's formula could represent the frequencies of the lines of the hydrogen spectrum in the simplest form in terms of two integers. As soon as Bohr saw this formula, he immediately recognized that it gave him the missing clue to the correct way to introduce Planck's law of quantum of action into the description of the atomic systems. The rest of the academic year was spent reconstructing the whole theory upon the new foundation and expounding it in a large treatise, which was immediately published as these three papers in the 'Philosophical Magazine'. It was in these papers that Bohr first gave his postulates of the orbital structure of the electrons and their quantized radiation.Bohr's atomic theory inaugurated two of the most adventurous decades in the history of science. In 1922 Bohr was awarded the Nobel Prize ""for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them"".Bohr introduced the following postulates: 1. An electron can revolve about its nucleus only in certain special circular orbits. 2. The ordinary electron revolves about its nucleus in an invariable orbit, without radiating or absorbing energy. 3. Radiation takes place when and only when the electron falls from an orbit with greater energy to one of less energy.Rosenfeld, Bohr Bibliography No. 6. Rosenfeld, Dictionary of Scientific Biography II, pp. 240-41. Printing and the Mind of Man: 411.
Original photography.
""Geneva / 12-15. Februar 1952"". 17 x 11,7 cm. A stamp on the back stating: ""Copyright / URS G. ARNI / REPORTER-PHOTOGRAPHIE / 15, R. CHARLES-GIRON TÉL 2.37.55 / GENÈVE"". In pencil: ""Nils Bohr / atomphysikkonferens / Geneva / 12-15. Februari 1952"". The photo depicts an elderly Bohr with a briefcase under his arm in white shirt, tie and three piece suit.
The picture shows Bohr participating in what would become one of the most important physic conferences in the second half of the 20th century. Here CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, was established. Niels Bohr had been one of the central figures in the development of atomic theory in the early 20th century and was the father to the exceedingly important Copenhagen Interpretation. These merits made him the head of the theoretical division of CERN which was located in Copenhagen. ""In Geneva the representatives of 12 European governments signed the convention setting up the interim organization, which came into being on 15 February 1952 with the title of ""European Council for Nuclear Research"", called ""CERN"" for short after the initials of the French title. Belgium, Denmark, France, the German Federal Republic, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia were then provisionally united to carry out nuclear research. During the whole lifetime of the interim CERN, the United Kingdom remained simply an observer, although the interest shown in the project by that country soon took the shape of new ideas, the provision of consultants and gifts."" (CERN COURIER).
On the Quantum Theory of Line-Spectra. Part II, On the Hydrogen Spectrum. - [AUTHOR'S OFFPRINT - PRESENTATION-COPY]
Copenhagen, Bianco Lunos, 1918. 4to. Original printed wrappers. Lower right corner of front wrapper bent. Small closed tear to front wrapper. Spine strip renewed. Otherwise fine and clean throughtout.
First printing of the second part of Bohr's seminal work ""On the Quantum Theory of the Line-Spectra"" (which appeared in three parts and which was never finished), author's off-print (with ""Separate copy"" printed on front wrapper), presentation-copy, inscribed by Bohr: ""Hr. Professor K. Prytz / med venlig Hilsen / fra Forfatteren"".""By 1918 Bohr had visualized, at least in outline, the whole theory of atomic phenomena. ... He of course realized that he was still very far from a logically consistent framework wide enough to incorporate both the quantum postulates and those aspects of classical mechanics and electrodynamics that seemed to retain some validity. Nevertheless, he at once started writing up a synthetic exposition of his arguments and of all the evidence upon which they could have any bearing" in testing how well he could summarize what was known, he found occasion to check the soundness of his ideas and to improve their formulation. In the present case, however, he could hardly keep pace with the growth of the subject the paper he had in mind at the beginning developed into a four-part treatise, 'On the Theory of Line Spectra', publication of which dragged over four years without being completed" the first three parts appeared between 1918 and 1922 [of which the second from 1918 is offered here], and the fourth, unfortunately, was never published. Thus, the full impact of Bohr's view remained confined to the small but brilliant circle of his disciples, who indeed managed better than their master to make them more widely known by the prompter publication of their own results"" (D.S.B. 2: 246-47).The present second part deals with the hydrogen spectrum, whereas the first part dealt with the general theory, and the third with the spectra of elements of higher atomic structure. Peter Kristian Prytz (1851-1929), to whom the work is inscribed, was an important physicist of the generation before Bohr. He did immense work to better the conditions of the teaching of physics at the Polytechnic Institute in Copenhagen, where Bohr studied for many years and where he later became a teacher. Prytz introduced the teaching of experimental physics here and fought for more space, more apparatus, more money for teaching assistance and more time for teaching. Thus, he played a great role in the physics-environment in Copenhagen both during Bohr's years as a student and as a teacher.Most importantly, it was Prytz who (in 1907) attracted the necessary money for the institute which enabled him to create the physical laboratory that constituted the foundation of Danish experimental physics, the field of which Bohr became professor in 1916 (till 1920 - the years during which he was working on the ""On the Quantum Theory of the Line Spectra"").Rosenfeld, Bohr-Bibliography, 15.
On the Theory of Decrease of Velocity of Moving Electrified Particles on passing through Matter. In: Philosophical Magazine Vol. 25, No. 145, January 1913 pp. 10-31. - [BOHR'S FIRST WORK ON NUCLEAR PHYSICS]
London, Taylor & Francis, 1913. 8vo. Original printed wrappers" chipped, backstrip lacks. The whole issue. 200 pp., 2 plates.
First edition of Bohr's first work on nuclear physics, published just before his 'On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules'. During his visit to Manchester Bohr had the chance to get a first hand account of Rutherford's investigations on the penetration of alpha-particles through matter. In order to explain the large-angle scattering of alpha rays, which Rutherford had observed, he proposed his ""nuclear"" model of the atom in contrast to J.J. Thomson's ""plum pudding"" model in 1910. Bohr eagerly took up the new model and soon recognized its far-reaching implications. In particular, he pointed out that the nuclear model of the atom implied a sharp separation between the chemical properties, ascribed to the peripherical electrons, and the radioactive properties, which affected the nucleas itself. In this paper the theory of the decrease of velocity of moving electrified particles in passing through matter is given in a form, such that the rate of the decrease in the velocity depends on the frequency of vibration of the electrons in the atoms of the absorbing material. In the conclusion Bohr could state 'that a hydrogen atom contains only 1 electron outside the positively charged nucleas, and that a helium atom only contains 2 electrons outside the nucleas'.Rosenfeld, Bohr Bibliography No. 5. Rosenfeld, Dictionary of Scientific Biography II, pp. 240-41.
Atomteori og Naturbeskrivelse. 3 Artikler med en indledende Oversigt. - [PRESENTATION-COPY]
Copenhagen, Bianco Lunas, 1929. Royal 8vo. Bound with the original wrappers and the original back-strip in a fine half morocco binding with gilt lettering to spine (Signed ""Ole Olsen 1978 Co´libri""). An exceptionally fine copy. 76 pp.
First edition of this collection of three articles translated into Danish and appearing as thus for the first time. Inscribed by Bohr (signed ""the author"") on the title-page: ""Hr. Assistent cand. mag. V. Thorsen / med venlig Hilsen / fra Forfatteren"". The work constitutes the first Danish translations of the present three articles: ""Atomic Theory and Mechanics"" (1925, Rosenfeld 33), ""The Quantum Postulate and the Recent Development of Atomic Theory"" (1928, Rosenfeld 37), and ""Wirkungsquantum und Naturbeschreibung"", (1929, Rosenfeld 39), here published together for the first time under the title ""Atomic Theory and the Description of Nature"" and with an introductory overview. The present collection of articles, translated into Danish, Bohr's mother tongue, constitutes an important insight into Bohr's thought and fundamental views on atomic theory and nature. The work, as it is here, has been elected as the Bohr-entry in the official list of Danish canonic literature, which collects the most important literary contributions to Danish culture. This is the only Bohr-item on the list. (see: http://www.kanonudvalget.dk). Rosenfeld, Bohr Bibliography No. 40.
On the Quantum Theory of Line-Spectra, Part I - III. - [BOHR'S CORRESPONDENCE PRINCIPLE]
København, Bianco Lunos Bogtrykkeri, 1918 - 1922. 4to. Uncut unopened in the original printed wrappers. In ""D. Kgl. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skrifter, afd., 8, række IV, 1-3"" / ""Mémoires de l'Académie Royale des Sciences et des Lettres de Danemark"". Wrapper with a few minor nicks and tears but otherwise a very fine and clean copy. 118 pp.
Collected offprint-edition of Bohr's seminal work ""On the Quantum Theory of the Line-Spectra"", marking the beginning of the quantum revolution in physics, introduced the concept of quantized energy levels, provided an explanation for the observed line spectra, and served as a foundational model that inspired further developments in quantum mechanics. It is conseidered one of Bohr's most important papers and the basis for his Nobel Prize. These papers give the first clear formulation of his 'correspondence principle' establishing the limit agreement of quantum and classical physics. ""By 1918 Bohr had visualized, at least in outline, the whole theory of atomic phenomena. ... He of course realized that he was still very far from a logically consistent framework wide enough to incorporate both the quantum postulates and those aspects of classical mechanics and electrodynamics that seemed to retain some validity. Nevertheless, he at once started writing up a synthetic exposition of his arguments and of all the evidence upon which they could have any bearing" in testing how well he could summarize what was known, he found occasion to check the soundness of his ideas and to improve their formulation. In the present case, however, he could hardly keep pace with the growth of the subject the paper he had in mind at the beginning developed into a four-part treatise, 'On the Theory of Line Spectra', publication of which dragged over four years without being completed" the first three parts appeared between 1918 and 1922, and the fourth, unfortunately, was never published. Thus, the full impact of Bohr's view remained confined to the small but brilliant circle of his disciples, who indeed managed better than their master to make them more widely known by the prompter publication of their own results"" (D.S.B. 2: 246-47).
Über die Serienspektra der Elemente. (Vortrag gehalten am 27. April 1920 in der Sitzung der Deutschen Physikalischen Gesellschaft in Berlin).
Braunschweig, Vieweg & Sohn, 1920. Contemp. Hcloth. Stamp on titlepage. In ""Zeitschrift für Physik"", Bd. 2. IV,478 pp. (Entire volume offered). Bohr's paper: pp. 423-469. A very faint dampstain to right margins.
First edition of this fundamental paper in which Bohr for the first time gives name to a theory, which was for the first time used in his work ""The quantum theory of line Spectra"" from 1918, but now for the first time called ""Korrespondenzprincip"" (The Principle of Correspondence) and explained in the offered paper. The principle was introduced ""in order to obtain the necessary relation to the ordinary theory of radiation in the limit of slow vibrations we are therefore led directlyto certain conclusions about the probability of transition between two stationary states in this limit."".The ""Principle of Correspondence"" is the physical priciple that the behaviour of atomic and other systems should approximate to that predicted by classical physics in certain specific circumstances where quantum effects are expected to be unimportent. Bohr used the principle to explain his theory of the hydrogen atom, which among other things successfully predicted many features of the spectrum of light emitted by energetic hydrogen atoms. The principle formed an importent component of the early quantum theory of Bohr, Sommerfeld and others.Betty Schultz: 17.
Zur Frage der Polarisation der Strahlung in der Quantentheorie. - [TOWARDS QUANTUM THEORY]
Braunschweig und Berlin, Vieweg & Sohn, Julius Springer, 1921. Contemp. hcloth. Stamp on titlepage. In ""Zeitschrift für Physik. Hrasg. von Karl Scheel"", vol. 6., IV,416 pp. Bohr's paper: pp. 1-9. A faint dampstain in right margin.
First edition. ""...in the hands of Bohr and his school the correspondence principle was like ""a magic wand that allowed the results of the classical wave theory to be of use for the quantum theory...but a costly price had to be paid. For taking resort to classical physics in order to establish quantum-theoretic predictions, or in other words, constructing a theory whose corroboration depends on premises which conflict with the substance of the theory, is of course a serious inconsistency from the logical point of view. Being fully aware of this difficulty, Bohr attempted repeatedly to show ""the correspondence principle must be regarded purely as a law of quantum theory, which can in no way diminish the contrast between the postulates and electrodynamic theory."" The earliest allusion to such a conception may perhaps be found as early as 1921 in a paper (the paper offered) in which Bohr briefly discussed the function of the principle...""(Max Jammer).
Zur Frage der Polarisation der Strahlung in der Quantentheorie. - [TOWARDS QUANTUM THEORY - THE CORRESPONDENCE PRINCIPLE]
Braunschweig und Berlin, Vieweg & Sohn, Julius Springer, 1921. 8vo. Bound in Contemporary half cloth. Stamp on title-page. In ""Zeitschrift für Physik. Hrasg. von Karl Scheel"", vol. 6. [Bohr's paper:] pp. 1-9. [Entire volume: IV, 416 pp].
First edition of this seminal contribution to the correspondence principle. ""...in the hands of Bohr and his school the correspondence principle was like ""a magic wand that allowed the results of the classical wave theory to be of use for the quantum theory...but a costly price had to be paid. For taking resort to classical physics in order to establish quantum-theoretic predictions, or in other words, constructing a theory whose corroboration depends on premises which conflict with the substance of the theory, is of course a serious inconsistency from the logical point of view. Being fully aware of this difficulty, Bohr attempted repeatedly to show ""the correspondence principle must be regarded purely as a law of quantum theory, which can in no way diminish the contrast between the postulates and electrodynamic theory."" The earliest allusion to such a conception may perhaps be found as early as 1921 in a paper (the paper offered) in which Bohr briefly discussed the function of the principle...""(Max Jammer).The volume contains paper by famous phycisists such as E. Brody, H. Pauli, M. Born, W. Pauli Jr. and many others.
