Cambridge Library Collection - Physical Sciences
2 total works
Sir Oliver Lodge (1851–1940) was a physicist instrumental in the discovery of electromagnetic waves: the basis of today's radio and X-ray technology. He came from humble beginnings. After suffering at the hands of violent masters and schoolmates during his childhood, Lodge went on to teach physics and chemistry to young women at Bedford College in London. Later, he was appointed professor of physics at the University of Liverpool, and became known for his public lectures on a vast range of topics, from the comic faults of phonographs to the medical applications of X-rays. Whether seeing the cells of a voltaic battery in a pile of plates or appreciating the enunciation of Alexander Graham Bell, Lodge had a warm enthusiasm that shines through in this touching autobiography, first published in 1931. It remains ideal for general readers as well as students in the history of science.
The discovery in 1897 of the electron, the first subatomic particle, led to rapid advances in our knowledge of atomic structure, the solid state, radioactivity and chemistry. It also raised major questions. Was the electron point-like or did it have structure? Was there a positive electron? What did the positive part of the atom look like? Did a hydrogen atom have one electron or a thousand? Published in 1906, this expository account by leading physicist Sir Oliver Lodge (1851–1940) examines the spectacular phenomena of cathode rays in evacuated tubes, the fixed units of charge observed in electrolysis, and the puzzling regularities in atomic spectra. Lodge knew most of the pioneers in the field, and his enthusiastic descriptions of their work and clear analyses of the problems as well as successes paint a vivid picture of the excitement of cutting-edge research and the scientific process in action.