Table Of ContentSelected Popular Writings of E.U. Condon
Edward Uhler Condon (1902-1974)
Asim O. Barut Halis Odabasi
Alwyn van der Merwe
Editors
Selected Popular Writings
of E.U. Condon
Springer-Verlag
New York Berlin Heidelberg London
Paris Tokyo Hong Kong Barcelona
Asim O. Barut Halis Odabasi Alwyn van der Merwe
Department of Physics Department of Physics Department of Physics
University of Colorado University of Colorado University of Denver
Boulder, CO 80309-0390 Boulder, CO 80309-0390 Denver, CO 80208
USA USA USA
Library of Congress Catalogue-in-Publication Data
Condon, Edward Uhler, 1902-1974
[Selections. 1991]
E.U. Condon: selected popular writings/Asim O. Barut, Halis
Odabasi, Alwyn van der Merwe, editors.
p. cm.
ISBN -13:978-1-4612-7783-5
J. Physics. I.Barut, A.O. (Asim Orhan), 1926-
II. Odabaso, Halis. III. Van der Merwe, Alwyn. IV. Title.
QC71.C652 1991 90-45176
530-dc20 CIP
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© 1991 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
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Preface
"The middle third of the twentieth century was the era of hegemony of
physics in American science. During that whole period Edward Uhler
Condon was a leader in physics, in research of his own, in stimulating
research in others, in applying physics, and in calling attention to the effect
on all of us of its indiscriminate and irrational application. When he made his
first contribution to theoretical physics in 1926, the word physics was not
in the vocabulary of most Americans, and the revolutionary concepts of
quantum mechanics and relativity were just being worked out in Europe;
by 1960 the applications of electronics and solid state physics had begun to
change our lives irreversibly, and the implications of nuclear physics were
manifest to everyone. Ed Condon contributed to each part of this explosive
evolution." - Philip M. Morse.'
We are happy to present the Selected Papers of Edward Uhler Condon,
one of the most influential American physicists of this century, whose life
has touched many fields and many people including our own. This volume
presents selected articles he wrote not reporting on his current research.
We have included several obituaries and other essays that report in detail
on Condon's contributions and importance to physics. We also include
"Reminiscences of a Life in and out of Quantum Mechanics," Condon's
charming autobiographical essay. He presented it at the International
Symposium on Applications of Quantum Mechanics to Atomic, Mole
cular, and Solid State Theory, and Quantum Biology, which was held in
his honor on Sanibel Island, Florida, during the week of January 22-27,
1973.
Since his death, several obituaries of Condon appeared, '-3 and the
Fourth International Conference on Atomic Physics was dedicated to his
merpory. The Proceedings of this conference4 contains contributions by
L.M. Branscomb, 1.1. Rabi, and B.R. Judd about Condon's accomplish
ments as a scientist and as a deeply concerned humanist. Another book,5
edited as a tribute to Condon on the occasion of his becoming Professor
Emeritus in the Department of Physics and Astrophysics in the University
of Colorado in the summer of 1970, also has pertinent and detailed infor
mation in its preface and in its foreword written by Frederick Seitz.
v
VI Preface
Therefore, rather than repeating the details, we refer the interested reader
to these sources, some of which are included in the present volume.
We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge a grant from the
Corning Glass Foundation towards the publication of this book. Thanks
are due to Mr. Stephen Catlett, manuscript librarian at the American
Philosophical Society Library, where the papers of Professor E. U. Condon
are preserved, for his friendly help. We would also like to thank the
Condon family and others for permission to edit the papers included in
this book.
References
P.M. Morse, Rev. Mod. Phys. 47, 1 (1975).
L.M. Branscomb, Phys. Today 27,68 (1974).
C. Eisenhart, Dimensions (the Technical News Bulletin of the National Bureau of
Standards) 58, 151 (1974).
Atomic Physics, Vol. 4, G.Z. Putlitz, E.W. Weber, and A. Winnacker, eds.
(Plenum, New York, 1975).
Topics in Modern Physics - A Tribute to Edward U. Condon, W.E. Brittin and
H. Odabasi, eds. (Colorado Associated University Press, Boulder, 1971).
A.O. Barut
Halis Odabasi
Alwyn van der Merwe
Contents
Preface ..................................................... v
Lewis M. Branscomb, "Edward Uhler Condon, A Personal
Recollection" ............................................... 1
From Atomic Physics 4, edited by G. zu PutIitz et aI, Plenum, NY 1975.
1.1. Rabi, "E.U. Condon - The Physicist and the Individual" 4
Ibid.
Frederick Seitz, "Foreword" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
Topics in Modern Physics, A Tribute to E.U. Condon, Wesley Brittin
and Halis Odabasi, (eds.), Colorado Associated University Press,
Boulder, 1971.
Wesley E. Brittin and Halis Odabasi, "Preface" .................. 17
Topics in Modem Physics, A Tribute to E.U. Condon, Wesley Brittin
and Halis Odabsi, (eds.), Colorado Associated University Press,
Boulder, 1971.
Rexmond C. Cochrane on Condon, "Measures for Progress:
A History of the National Bureau of Standards" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 30
US Department of Commerce, 1966.
Philip M. Morse, "Edward Uhler Condon, 1902-1974" 42
Rev. Mod. Phys., 47,1 (1975).
Lewis M. Branscomb, "Obituary: Edward Uhler Condon" 55
Physics Today 27, 68 (1974).
"The Age of the Stars" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 59
Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 11,125-30 (1925); Also letter in Nature,
March 21,1925.
"Statistics of Vocabulary" 65
Science 67, 300 (1928).
vii
viii Contents
"Recent Developments in Quantum Mechanics" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 68
Science 68,193-5 (1928).
"Wave Mechanics and Radioactive Disintegration" 72
(With R.W. Gurney), Nature 122, 439 (1928).
"Note on the Velocity of Sound" 75
Am. Phys. Teacher 1,18 (1933).
"Food and the Theory of Probability" 77
Proc. U.S. Navallnst. 60,75-8 (1934).
"Where Do We Live? Reflections on Physical Units and
the Universal Constants" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 83
Am. Phys. Teacher 2,63-9 (1934).
"Three Catch Questions" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 94
Am. Phys, Teacher 3,85-6 (1935).
"Mathematical Models in Modern Physics" 96
f. Franklin lnst. 225,255-61 (1938).
"A Simple Derivation of the Maxwell-Boltzmann Law" .... . . . . . . .. 101
Phys. Rev. 54,937-40 (1938).
"Physics in Industry" ......................................... 107
Science 96, 172-4 (1942).
"A Physicist's Peace" ......................................... 111
Am. 1. Phys. 10,96-7 (1942).
"Physics Gives Us - Nuclear Engineering" ...................... 114
Westinghouse Engineer 1-7, November 1945.
"Foundations of Nuclear Physics" 132
Nucleonics 1, 3-11 (1947).
"Science and the National Welfare" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 145
Science 107, 2-7 (1948).
"Electronics and the Future" .................................. 156
Electrical Engineering 1-7, April 1947 .
"Is There a Science ofInstrumentation?" ........................ 170
Science 110, 339-42 (1949).
Contents IX
"Effect of Oscillations of the Case on the Rate of a Watch" 177
(With P.E. Condon), Am. 1. Phys. 16, 14-6 (1948).
"The Development of American Physics" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 182
Am. 1. Phys. 17, 404-8 (1949).
"Present Program of the National Bureau of Standards" ........... 189
Sci. Monthly 73, 176-82 (1951).
"Evolution of the Quantum Theory" .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 199
Sci. Monthly 72, 217-22 (1951).
"Some Thoughts on Science in the Federal Government ... " ....... 209
Phys. Today 5, 6-13 (1952).
"A Half-Century of Quantum Physics" .......................... 224
Science 121, 221-6 (1955).
"What is this New World?" .................................... 236
1. Nat. Assoc. Woman Deans and Counselors 21, 153-61 (1958).
"Graphical Representation for Unit Systems" 245
Am. 1. Phys. 29,487-91 (1961).
"Intermediate Courses in Physics" ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 253
Am. 1. Phys 30, 166-71 (1962).
"60 Years of Quantum Physics" ................................ 262
Phys. Today 15,37-48 (1962); Bull. Phil. Soc. Washington
16, 82-102 (1962). (Retiring presidential address to Philosophical
Society of Washington, Dec. 2, 1960.)
"Professor A.H. Compton" 279
Nature 194, 628-9 (1962).
"Lyman James Briggs (1874-1963)" ............................ 283
Yearbook American Philosophical Society (New York, 1963),
pp. 117-21.
"William Shipley's Barometer (1748)" .......................... 287
Am. 1. Phys. 34, 358 (1966).
"Measures for Progress: A History of the National Bureau of
Standards" .................................................. 290
Appl. Opt. 6,9-12 (1967). (Book review.)
x Contents
"The Past and the Future of the Reviews of Modern Physics" ....... 298
Rev. Mod. Phys. 40, 876-8 (1968).
"UFO's I Have Loved and Lost" ............................... 304
Proc. Am. Phi/os. Soc. 113, 425-7 (1969).
"Education for World Understanding" .......................... 309
Topics in Modern Physics (Colorado Associated University
Press, Boulder, 1971), pp. 349-53.
"Reminiscences of a Life In and Out of Quantum Mechanics" ...... 314
Int. 1. Quant. Chem. 7, 7-22 (1973).
"Tunneling - How It All Started" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 332
Am. 1. Phys. 46, 319-23 (1978).
"Silver Anniversary of Atomic Clocks" .......................... 341
(An unpulished speech given February 22, 1974).
