1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 458: Sensation in the Physics World! "Only by finding the fourth quantum number can we surpass Pauli!"

In real history, the Pauli exclusion principle is a crucial theory in quantum mechanics.

Together with the minimum energy principle and Hund's rule, it becomes the three major principles of the distribution of electrons outside the nucleus.

However, compared with the latter two, the Pauli exclusion principle is particularly important.

Based on this principle, physicists can distinguish between fermions and bosons.

All fermions obey the Pauli exclusion principle.

Therefore, two fermions with the same quantum state cannot exist in the same space, such as protons, neutrons, electrons, etc.

Their behavior is consistent with Fermi-Dirac statistics.

All bosons do not conform to the Pauli exclusion principle.

Therefore, two or more bosons can be superimposed in the same position, such as photons.

Their behavior is consistent with Bose-Einstein statistics.

This should be easier to understand.

Protons, neutrons, electrons, etc. are "visible and tangible" entities, and they cannot exist in the same position.

It's like two people cannot occupy the same space.

Otherwise, wouldn't that mean fusion has occurred?

But two different laser beams can be focused on the same point at the same time.

In other words, photons have no concept of volume and are like ghosts.

It’s incredible just to think about it!

Although we may have already become accustomed to this phenomenon.

But the truth behind it is very profound.

Fortunately, most of the particles that make up our world are fermions.

That is why atoms can occupy a certain volume and form the current macroscopic world.

This shows the importance of the Pauli exclusion principle.

It is the basis of many natural phenomena and plays an important role in many sub-fields of physics.

Now, when Pauli's paper was published, it instantly caused a sensation in the physics community.

His identity shocked all the students and young scholars.

"Oh my God! The author of the paper is actually the bronze medalist of the 2nd Physics Olympiad?"

"Oh my god! The contestants of the Physics Olympiad are so awesome!"

"We are all undergraduates, the gap is too big."

“Excuse me, what is the level of being able to publish a Nature cover as an undergraduate?”

"The instructor asked you to ride on my neck level!"

“Pauli is my idol!”

For a time, Pauli became the object of admiration of all students.

Although he is young and frivolous and likes to confront others, his personal strength is not to be underestimated.

He is a total crushing genius.

Because the other party is only 21 years old and hasn't even graduated with a Ph.D., but he has already published such an awesome article.

Many people even think that Pauli will become the second Professor Bruce.

In this regard, Pauli said in a high-profile manner:

“Although Professor Bruce is also my idol, idols are not meant to be worshipped, but to be surpassed.”

Wow!
As soon as these words were spoken, Pauli was instantly pushed to the forefront again.

Those who like him like him even more.

Those who don't like him can only endure it silently.

Unless you publish the same paper yourself, you will feel unhappy with Pauli.

Otherwise, for people in the scientific community, it would be just a clown, bringing shame upon themselves.

Ordinary students and scholars only know that this paper is awesome.

Otherwise, it would not have been published on the cover of Nature journal.

But they could not understand the impact this paper had on the physics community.

Because the exclusion principle is so profound, most people simply cannot understand it.

Therefore, everyone can only talk about Pauli's identity.

After all, if Professor Bruce published this paper, no one would be surprised, they would just think it was natural.

However, for the real physics masters, the situation is completely different.

They don't care about the young people's lofty words, but are seriously thinking about the significance of the thesis.

Although Pauli's paper did not have a wild imagination, it was completely based on the foundation laid by Professor Bruce.

However, this kind of balanced and logical reasoning is what the big guys love the most.

Professor Bruce's style of making earth-shattering achievements is actually a minority in the field of physics.

University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

After reading Pauli's paper, Bohr was deeply saddened.

He didn't expect that a young man could do this.

This took quantum theory one step further.

This step seems simple, but it is of great significance.

It provides a real theoretical basis for Professor Bruce's study of the distribution of electrons outside the nucleus.

At the same time, it also provides more clues for finding the fourth quantum number.

In this sense, Pauli is already a well-deserved physicist.

Since Bohr first proposed quantum orbits, the atomic model has undergone rapid development.

Now, with the emergence of the electron exclusion principle, the problem of the arrangement of electrons outside the nucleus has been officially solved.

Quantum theory has entered a new stage.

This gave Bohr a feeling of looking down on the world.

After all, he was the founder of the Bohr-Lee model.

All developments in quantum theory are based on it.

Looking at Kronig in front of him, Bohr suddenly sighed:
“Young people today are truly amazing!”

"Kronig, do you feel any pressure?"

Upon hearing this, Koronig smiled calmly and said:

"Professor, I'm not stressed."

"Because I didn't compete in the Physics Olympiad with Pauli."

“I think there was a lot of pressure on Dirac and Heisenberg.”

Bohr was stunned when he heard this, and then he burst into laughter.

I have to say that I, as a student, have a very good mentality.

Bohr taught students without much ambition.

Like Sommerfeld and others, he never dared to hope to surpass his teacher, Professor Bruce.

He mainly cultivates students' interest in physics.

In Bohr's view, geniuses like Pauli are rare.

But ordinary scholars like Kronig also have their value.

Although the other party may not be able to create a theory that shocks the physics world, his down-to-earth and hardworking attitude can make up for many shortcomings.

So Bohr never pushed his students.

This attitude of letting things take their course will actually produce unexpected results.

Maybe this is why he has such a good reputation.

In real history, whenever students encounter difficulties in research.

Bohr never discussed with others immediately, but took them hiking or taking walks.

Wait until you are completely relaxed physically and mentally, then discuss together how to solve the problem.

Unfortunately, this relaxed academic atmosphere will never appear again in the era of later generations where results and time are the only thing that matters.

Bohr always remembered what Professor Bruce said to him:

“Physics is the whole of the universe, but it is not the whole of life.”

This statement, which is full of Eastern philosophical thought, benefited Bohr greatly.

Every time I read it, I have new insights and thoughts.

Bohr murmured: "And my life is only the universe."

Kronig is under no pressure at the moment because his research will soon have an important breakthrough.

But some people are under pressure. Leiden University, Netherlands.

Ehrenfest is sharing the latest developments in physics with students.

And what he was talking about was Pauli's paper.

"According to the exclusion principle, not all electrons inside an atom fall into their lowest energy orbit."

"They have to occupy orbits with higher and higher energies in a certain order."

"At this time, the gaps between electrons make up the volume of the atom."

"A large number of atoms together form a macroscopic position."

"Moreover, based on the exclusion principle, the existence of electron binary can be directly deduced."

"Because according to the rules of electron configuration outside the nucleus proposed by Professor Bruce, two electrons can exist at each energy level."

"And the energy levels represent orbitals, which means there are two electrons in each orbital."

"Since they are electrons in the same orbit, their three quantum numbers are the same."

"And now the two electrons must be incompatible, so their quantum states must be different."

"This leads to the conclusion that there is a fourth quantum number."

Ehrenfest was indeed worthy of being Boltzmann's disciple.

He used very easy-to-understand language to explain the relationship between the theory of extranuclear electron configuration and the exclusion principle.

This impressed all the students present.

Although Professor Ehrenfest is not the most famous in the physics community, his strength is unquestionable.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to succeed Professor Lorenz.

At this time, Uhlenbeck and Gudsmit in the audience looked a little anxious.

There was no way out. Pauli's paper was like a bomb, which confused all the contestants of the second Physics Olympiad.

"We are still immersed in the cheers of our talented students."

"You've already started to get involved in the big guys' territory."

Ordinary players still have reasons to deceive themselves.

Because their own strength is indeed not as good as a super genius like Pauli.

But Uhlenbeck and Goudsmit are different.

They were on the newspaper's genius list.

Regardless of the value and authority of this list, at least in the eyes of others, the two of them are geniuses.

Now Pauli is one step ahead of everyone and has "entered the adult world", making these geniuses feel the pressure.

After all, a few months ago, they were rivals in the competition.

Although there is a gap in strength between them, everyone has an equal mentality.

Even if he is ranked tenth, he dares to challenge Dirac who is ranked first.

It is still unknown who will win or lose until the last moment when the paper is handed in.

But now, Pauli simply turned the table over. He stopped playing the game and started real physics research.

And the key point is that his research was not just random, but caused a sensation in the physics community.

This gap is like a natural chasm.

How could these geniuses tolerate such a gap?

It is really like "I am afraid that my brothers are suffering, but I am also afraid that my brothers are driving a Land Rover."

Ugu and the other two listened very carefully.

They wanted to learn Pauli's excellent way of thinking from his paper.

Uhlenbeck said softly:

"Pauli found inspiration for this paper from Professor Bruce's speech."

“I think we can do the same.”

"I want to read the minutes of the German speech a few more times."

"See if there is anything that was missed before."

Goudsmit approved of the idea.

“Very good idea.”

"We can ask Professor Ehrenfest for the information after class."

"Also, Uhlenbeck, I think the only way to catch up with Pauli is to find the fourth quantum number."

"We must surpass that kid!"

Uhlenbeck looked at his friend with amusement.

Although he also felt pressure, he still admired Pauli very much.

So, he smiled and said:

"Goodsmith, why are you reacting so strongly?"

"Did Pauli scold you?"

Gudsmith seemed to have thought of something bad.

He said angrily:
"After the theoretical exam, Pauli and others were discussing the last question there."

“I also went up and shared my solution.”

"In the end, I was humiliated by that guy Pauli."

When Uhlenbeck heard this, he was surprised. He really didn't know about this.

When the exam was over, he went to talk to Zhao Zhongyao.

In his opinion, this person is the real big shot, and maybe he can use him to get in touch with Professor Bruce in the future.

Just plucking a hair from that big guy is more useful than practicing hard for decades.

However, he was still very curious about what Goudsmit had experienced.

"Oh? How did he humiliate you?"

When Gudsmit recalled it now, he was still very angry. He said angrily:

"Pauli said I was a poor student from nowhere, and my solution was shit, not even a mistake."

Uhlenbeck didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This humiliation was indeed a bit harsh.

The image of the wild Austrian fat man seemed to appear in his mind.

He comforted:

"Don't worry, someone will be able to cure him sooner or later."

"I just don't believe he can make no mistakes at all."

"Even Professor Bruce missed it once."

"Oh, by the way, Goodsmith, did you get the last question right?"

Gudsmith suddenly scratched his head in embarrassment, his cheeks a little red.

"My solution is wrong, Pauli is right."

Uhlenbeck: “.”
-
Soon, the bigwigs in the physics community called the electron incompatibility principle mentioned by Pauli in his paper the "Pauli-Bruce exclusion principle."

Because without Professor Bruce's theory and analysis, Pauli would not have been able to publish this theory.

Moreover, Pauli also borrowed the concept of electron binary in the derivation process.

Therefore, the bigwigs believe that Professor Bruce has made an indispensable contribution.

This is the scientific community, it is always fair and just.

As long as it is your achievement, no one can snatch it away even if you are an unknown student.

If it is not your achievement, even if you are a big shot, you cannot share the honor it brings.

However, for Li Qiwei, none of this matters.

It was he who personally selected Pauli to write this paper.

At the time, Gregory was unsure about the paper because the author was, after all, just a student, albeit a talented one.

So he sent it to Professor Bruce for advice.

Li Qiwei immediately instructed: It is recommended to publish it on the cover.

As a result, Pauli's name became famous in the physics community.

In the Quantum Research Institute, Li Qiwei stood by the window.

There was endless wisdom shining in his eyes.

Unlike the theory of relativity, which was a one-man show, quantum mechanics was created by the joint efforts of many geniuses.

What follows is a brilliant and prosperous era in which you take the stage after I finish my performance.

And what role should he play?

(End of this chapter)