1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 421 Atom Ripper vs. God of Space and Time! Proton-Neutron Model! Shocking Debut!
Rutherford's "proton-electron model" of the atomic nucleus amazed all the bigwigs present.

Like the original planetary model, it allows people to clearly understand the structure of microscopic particles such as atoms.

Existence that cannot even be observed with a microscope is depicted by human wisdom.

For physicists, this achievement is intoxicating.

Although the planetary model was eventually replaced by quantum theory, the Bohr-Lee model did not negate the planetary model.

Instead, it has improved the various problems that exist.

Now, with Rutherford's nuclear model, the secrets of the atom were fully revealed.

An atom is a small ball.

There is an atomic nucleus in the tiny area at the center of the ball.

Outside the nucleus, there are electrons moving at high speed in certain specific orbits.

The inside of the nucleus is made up of protons and electrons, which are combined together in some way.

This model can explain almost all relevant physical phenomena.

The remaining question now is how protons and electrons are combined inside the nucleus.

Physicists such as Thomson, Wilson, and old Bragg all agreed with Rutherford's hypothesis.

Because it is based on a lot of experimental evidence and logically rigorous conjectures.

But now, some people have expressed opposition.

Everyone couldn't help but look towards the source of the sound.

Everyone wants to know who on earth is and how dare he oppose it when so many bigwigs are optimistic about it.

The moment Rutherford heard the voice, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

His sharp eyes were fixed on the tall man in the front row.

"Bruce, you finally couldn't help it."

Wow!
Everyone was shocked!

Because the person who spoke was Li Qiwei!
"Oh, God, why is it Professor Bruce? Aren't he and Professor Rutherford close friends?"

"You don't understand this. The closer we are to each other, the less we care."

"Don't you see that Professor Rutherford's face is filled with joy, not worry?"

"This is probably the pinnacle of competition in the field of atomic research."

Everyone suddenly thought of a terrible fact.

Ever since Professor Bruce proposed the theory of general relativity that shocked the world, people have automatically ignored his other achievements.

However, as the proponent of the planetary model, the other party has always been a big shot in the atomic field.

When it comes to the study of atoms, perhaps only Thomson and Rutherford dared to say that they were better than the other.

This is essentially an academic dispute within Cavendish.

Everyone looked at Thompson enviously again.

The Royal Society was completely overshadowed by Cavendish and his group.

Having two such great disciples in my life, what else could I ask for?

At this moment, facing the gazes of hundreds of academicians present, Li Qiwei remained calm.

He stood up calmly, making people feel like a god descending into the world.

The academicians look at Li Qiwei just like ordinary people look at academicians, they can only admire him but cannot surpass him.

Everyone became excited.

The public debate between two big guys, especially on such a cutting-edge physics topic, is definitely a feast for the academic field.

"Atom Ripper" Rutherford versus "God of Time and Space" Bruce.

A discussion that will determine the future direction of atomic science is about to take place.

Regardless of the outcome, today's content will shock the entire physics community.

Everyone sighed in their hearts: "1919 is indeed the beginning of the prosperity of science again."

Rutherford asked with a smile and a hint of excitement:
"Bruce, what do you think is wrong with my theory?"

Li Qiwei said methodically:

“The proton-electron model really explains the periodic table and radioactivity.”

“But the existence of the model itself does not stand up to scrutiny.”

"First, according to existing data, the size of the nucleus is only one hundred billionth of the volume of the atom, but it accounts for 99.9% of the mass of the atom."

"But if electrons existed as individuals within the nucleus, they would take up a lot of space."

"Because electrons are constantly in motion."

"This is inconsistent with the extremely small size of the nucleus."

"Secondly, even if the electron can exist in the nucleus, what is its state?"

"I just calculated that if the electron and proton were that close together, the electromagnetic force between them would be astronomical."

"Under this strength of force, the nucleus cannot exist stably and will be torn apart."

"Finally, there is the question of the mass of the nucleus."

"Take the three atomic nuclei of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen as examples."

"Taking their respective nuclear masses and dividing by the number of protons they contain gives the mass of a single proton."

"Logically, the three results should be the same."

"Because it's all the mass of protons."

"But I just calculated and found that there is a 5% difference between them."

"Since Aston invented the mass spectrometer, we can now measure the masses of microscopic particles with great precision."

“So this is definitely not an error.”

Wow!
Aston immediately felt countless gazes from the crowd directed at him.

This physicist, who also graduated from Cavendish, seemed a little embarrassed.

But he was secretly delighted in his heart: Thank you, Professor Bruce, I only appeared in Chapter 227, and now I show up again.

When Soddy proposed the isotope hypothesis, Aston devoted himself to the difficult problem of separating isotopes.

He invented the mass spectrometer, an instrument that can measure microscopic particles with an accuracy of one thousandth.

That is why Li Qiwei dared to say that 5% is definitely not an error.

"Therefore, based on the above analysis, I believe that Professor Rutherford's proton-electron model is incorrect."

At this moment, everyone was completely dumbfounded.

This discussion at the highest level in the field of atomic science was truly fascinating.

The model that seemed perfect to many bigwigs was full of loopholes in the eyes of Professor Bruce.

This is the difference in strength.

At this moment, everyone understood why, although they were all academicians, some could sit in the front row while others could only sit in the back row.

Because their strength does not allow them to sit in the front row.

"Wow! It's hard to believe that Professor Bruce came up with all this in such a short time."

"No wonder I saw him fiddling with something with his head down just now. Turns out he was calculating."

"I'm curious, how did Professor Bruce remember the masses of those atomic nuclei?"

"This is all basic for Professor Bruce."

“It’s just so easy.”

The big guys have been convinced.

Thompson looked at Li Qiwei with an expression of great relief on his face.

The performance of his two disciples today gave him a great sense of satisfaction.

It has been a long time since the Royal Society has seen such a high level of academic debate.

And all this was facilitated by Thomson.

Wilson looked at Li Qiwei with envy.

"Damn, Bruce is still so handsome when he's pretending!"

At this moment, Rutherford was filled with excitement.

He was not hurt by Li Qiwei's rebuttal.

Because in this world, there are not many people and things worth the other party's effort.

In other words, being questioned by Professor Bruce is an honor that not everyone is qualified to receive.

And he, Rutherford, is more than worthy of the opponent's face-to-face attack.

Li Qiwei: I think you are suffering from Stockholm syndrome.

Rutherford thought about it carefully and realized that his proton-electron model could not explain these problems.

This is normal. If it could be explained, Li Qiwei would not have brought it up.

At this time, Rutherford smiled and said:

"Bruce, you are publicly destroying my reputation."

Li Qiwei spread his hands and said helplessly: "Who made your theory flawed?"

Everyone: You two big guys, stop flirting with each other, this is the annual meeting of the Royal Society.

Rutherford suddenly looked excited and asked:
"Bruce, I know you are not a person who only asks questions."

"You've already figured out the answer, haven't you?"

"Or do you have another theory about the model of the atomic nucleus?"

Wow!
Everyone's emotions were aroused once again.

Especially the physicists and chemists, they looked at the man with burning eyes.

Today's discussion is crucial to both physics and chemistry.

It may even open up a whole new field.

Li Qiwei smiled lightly.

"Yes, I do have an idea."

As soon as he finished speaking, Rutherford's eyes flashed with brilliance. He was right.

If Li Qiwei also put forward a theory.

So this is the first real confrontation between the two sides.

Rutherford suddenly felt his mouth dry and his blood boiling.

Li Qiwei did not keep the secret and continued:
"I think it's possible to combine the proton-electron in the Rutherford model into one particle."

"This particle is electrically neutral, its mass is close to that of a proton, but smaller than that of a proton, and it can exist stably in the nucleus."

"That would solve the three problems I just raised."

"Because there are no electrons in the nucleus, there are only protons and this new electrically neutral particle, so the first and second problems are gone."

"Also, because the proton and the new particle have close but different masses, the third problem can be explained as well."

"Take the nitrogen nucleus as an example. The nucleus now consists of seven protons and seven new particles."

"So, we can't just divide the mass of the nitrogen nucleus by 14, but have to calculate it separately."

"In this case."

Li Qiwei suddenly paused, picked up the pen and paper he carried with him, and started calculating on the spot.

This scene shocked the academicians present and made their blood boil.

"My God, Professor Bruce is going to work out his theory directly."

"It's terrible. It's really terrible."

“Is this the charm of being the number one person in the world?”

At this moment, the huge conference hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

People were secretly holding their restless hearts, not daring to make any noise to disturb the man.

There was a rustling sound in the venue.

It is the sound of the friction between the pen tip and the paper, as well as the collision of wisdom and truth.

The whole audience was looking forward to it and was shocked!
One minute
Two minutes.
A full five minutes passed.

Li Qiwei finally stopped calculating.

He exhaled and said lightly:

"It's done."

"Using the new model, the proton masses and new particle masses calculated for the three types of atomic nuclei are the same."

"The error is one in ten thousand."

"This is beyond the precision of the best mass spectrometers, and I think the results are reliable."

The voice just fell.

boom!
There was a huge gasp in the venue.

Everyone was shocked by Li Qiwei's results.

"Professor Bruce proposed a new model of the atomic nucleus on the spot."

"And it's even more sophisticated than Professor Rutherford's model."

"Because the new model can solve problems that the proton-electron model cannot explain."

"Is this the strength of Professor Bruce? It's really so terrifying!"

At this moment, Li Qiwei conquered everyone again.

Two atomic bosses, two atomic models.

Professor Bruce wins!
At Thomson's suggestion, Ridgway's manuscript was passed out and viewed by everyone in turn.

This also makes it convenient for the big guys to check whether the results are correct.

When Thomson saw the above calculation process, he was extremely shocked.

Because it involves not only simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division processes, but also considerations of the interactions between protons and new particles.

Neither Rutherford's model nor Ridgway's model actually explains how particles inside the nucleus interact with each other.

This is understandable.

Because current physics detection methods cannot reach the proton level.

Suddenly, Thomson saw a word next to the new particle: Neutron.

"Bruce, is this your name for the new particle?"

Li Qiwei replied:
"That's right, since this new particle is electrically neutral and at the same time a microscopic particle similar to a proton."

"So, I'll call it Neutron."

Thompson nodded.

This name is as clever and vivid as Rutherford's proton.

Protons, neutrons, electrons.

What harmony and unity.

After listening to Ridgway's theory, Rutherford felt a surge of emotions in his heart, like an earthquake.

Based on his work, Bruce boldly imagined the proton-electron binary system as a neutron.

In this way, the model of the atomic nucleus becomes simpler.

And it avoids the elusive existence of electrons.

Rutherford had to admire that from any perspective, the proton-neutron model was better than the proton-electron model.

This is a physicist's intuition.

They have a natural sensitivity to the symmetrical and harmonious beauty of nature.

“This is Bruce’s style.”

Rutherford naturally thought about other problems with the new model.

“If you want to prove that the [proton-neutron] model is superior to the [proton-electron] model.”

“Then the former must be able to solve problems that the latter cannot explain.”

“What the latter can explain, the former must also explain.”

"Well, in that case."

"The periodic table is fine."

"Radioactive. Didn't ask. Not right!"

"wrong!"

"has a problem!"

"Haha, Bruce, I also found the problem with your model."

"It seems I haven't lost yet."

"Who wins and who loses will depend on the final experiment."

At this moment, Rutherford felt a surge of ambition.

Facing Li Qiwei's sharp attacks and new theories.

Instead of being defeated, he fought back.

While the bigwigs were whispering about the new model, Rutherford said loudly:
"Bruce, your model is good, but it also has problems."

boom!
Everyone was shocked!

(End of this chapter)