Training the Heavens

Chapter 272 The Birth of Electronics
This time, Zhang Xingjiu was not in a hurry to publish the paper, because the experiment was different from the blackbody radiation experiment. Being able to carry out the experiment to this step was only a thin layer of window paper away from the discovery of electrons, and a flash of inspiration could break through it.

Therefore, if the paper is published now, other scholars may discover more important results first. Although Zhang Xingjiu is very confident in his speed, he cannot be careless. What if something goes wrong during the experimental process?
Even if not, if two scholars achieved breakthroughs at the same time within a short period of time, would the academic community recognize him more as a scholar from China, or an authoritative expert from a well-known university such as Cambridge, Oxford, or Göttingen?

Zhang Xingjiu did not think that the academic world was pure, especially in the 19th century, an era full of discrimination, so he decided to wait until the most important results were produced before writing the paper and publishing it all at once.

This might give him fewer opportunities to publish papers, but it would be safer. As for those few papers that he missed, Zhang Xingjiu didn't care. Publishing a paper in a top journal was a great achievement for ordinary scholars, but it was nothing for a great scholar.

After listening to Zhang Xingjiu's plan, Lippmann didn't object. "Your concerns are indeed reasonable. Continue the experiment at your own pace. I will support you when you make new breakthroughs in the future."

With this, Zhang Xingjiu felt more at ease. Lippmann's character and influence were still trustworthy. With his support, the chances of his achievements being inflated by other scholars would be reduced.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel fortunate again that he had chosen a suitable school. If he had gone to Oxford, Cambridge or Göttingen, he might not have met such a teacher.

Back in the laboratory, Zhang Xingjiu immediately came up with a new experimental plan - to test the movement path of cathode rays in electric and magnetic fields.

The metal tube that receives the charge is installed on the side. Normally, it does not receive any charge. Only when the magnetic field is large enough will the electrometer give an indication. If the magnetic field is increased further, the indication of the electrometer will decrease to zero, which means that these charges do come from cathode rays.

Pierre once again completed the experimental preparations efficiently. Zhang Xingjiu really liked such an experimental partner. With the cooperation of such a talented experimental manager, he saved a lot of time. If it were someone else, it would not be so smooth.

It might take several months just to modify the equipment. In this case, even if Zhang Xingjiu knew the answer in advance, he might still be overtaken by the Cavendish Laboratory.

A new experiment started. After several failures and debugging, Zhang Xingjiu got the results he wanted. The experimental data showed that under the action of magnetic field and electric field, cathode rays and negative charges have the same movement path.

Therefore, we can boldly infer that cathode rays are composed of a stream of negatively charged particles.

"This experiment can end the debate in the physics community about whether cathode rays are electromagnetic waves or particle streams. Son, I am proud of you. Such an achievement is enough to serve as a doctoral thesis, but you produced it in your first year of undergraduate studies." Lippmann was amazed after watching the experiment.

"So, can we start writing the paper now?" Lang Zhiwan asked eagerly. He couldn't wait to see Professor Thomson's surprised expression.

"No, not yet." Zhang Xingjiu shook his head again. "This experiment only proves that cathode rays are particle streams, composed of some kind of negatively charged particles. But what are these particles? Are they atoms or molecules? Or particles of matter smaller than atoms or molecules? We still don't have the answer."

"So we must conduct the next experiment as soon as possible to measure the exact values ​​of the mass and charge of this particle, so that it can be a complete experiment."

These two experiments were arguably the most significant achievements of the Sorbonne University's Department of Physics this year. Professor Lippmann certainly wouldn't object to Zhang Xingjiu's plans for a new experiment. He immediately offered his full support, "Then come up with a new experimental plan as soon as possible! Tell us what equipment and funding you need. If the department's annual budget can support it, we'll cover it. If not, I'll find new funding sources for you. You only need to do one thing now: complete this experiment as quickly as possible!"

Professor Lippmann appeared calm on the surface, but he was actually very excited. This year, Sorbonne University had already taken the lead in the field of blackbody radiation. It would be great if they could now make a major breakthrough in cathode ray research.

If it can continue to achieve outstanding results in these two fields, perhaps in the near future the Department of Physics at Sorbonne University will surpass many universities in the UK and Germany and become a world-leading institution.

As for American universities, they are not currently taken seriously by the European scientific community. Although they occasionally have breakthroughs, they are still in a catching-up position in most fields.

Measuring the particle mass and charge of cathode rays is a difficult task because a cathode ray the size of a pencil tip contains hundreds of billions of high-speed moving particles.

Based on the result that the range of cathode rays in the atmosphere was about half a centimeter, Zhang Xingjiu first inferred that the mass of the unknown particle was much smaller than that of hydrogen ions, even less than one thousandth.

Another experiment was conducted to test the charge of gas ions, and the charge of the unknown particles was measured.

Based on these results, it can be concluded that the particles of cathode rays are much smaller than ordinary molecular atoms and are components of atoms.

In 1874, Irish physicist George Johnstone Stoney, after studying the phenomenon of electrolysis, pointed out that there was a "single definite charge" e. He estimated this value using Faraday's law of electrolysis. However, he believed that these charges were permanently attached to atoms and could not be removed, and officially named this particle "electron".

Zhang Xingjiu followed Stoney's statement and called this newly discovered particle "electron."

At this point, this series of experiments can finally be declared a success, and the new paper can be started. He will still be the main author and Lang Zhiwan will assist.

The two young men stayed up late to complete the paper, and showed it to Professor Lippmann in the morning without even sleeping.

Professor Lippmann read the paper carefully and did not speak for a long time, because he knew too well how important such a discovery was.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "This discovery can be said to be the most important discovery of 1896 in the Department of Physics at the Sorbonne University. No, in the global physics community!"

"It's just in time for the last issue of Nature this year, so let's use this paper to give the physics world of 1896 the best gift possible!"

　Ah, some readers said they don't like reading it as a plagiarism, so let's skip the plot of the novel.
　　The next chapter will still be late
　　
　
(End of this chapter)