Word: kusch
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1955-1955
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Theoretical Upset. This year's physics prize also went to the U.S. It was shared by Drs. Willis E. Lamb Jr. and Polykarp Kusch, who worked independently on related problems at Columbia University. Between them they forced an important modification of atomic theory...
Working with a roughly similar method, Dr. Kusch proved that the "magnetic moment" (magnetic strength) of electrons spinning around atomic nuclei is .125% greater than had been believed. This small change, taken with the correction made by Dr. Lamb, meant that the theoretical physicists would have to modify their basic ideas of atomic behavior...
...while there was something like confusion on the upper levels of physics. But physicists enjoy this sort of confusion: it gives them a stimulating workout. Soon they found ways to reconcile-and reinforce-their theories with the Lamb and Kusch experiments. Both discoveries went into the general pool of scientific knowledge and had no immediate effect in practical applied physics. Said smiling Dr. Kusch last week: "You can peddle the patent rights...