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The Quantum Theory of Planck, Einstein, Bohr and Sommerfeld: Its Foundation and the Rise of its Difficulties, 1900-1925, V. 1, Pt. 1 of the Historical Development of Quantum Theory

Mehra, Jagdish, Helmut Rechenberg

Published Jan 1, 1982• 26 citations
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Conclusions

Jonathan Allday

Now that we have reached the end of our brief tour through the early history of quantum theory, we need to stop and consider some important themes. From a historical point of view, a distinction can be drawn between ‘old quantum theory’ and the full quantum theory that we now use. Old quantum theory was in essence a patchwork cobbled together from classical physics with a few quantum ideas thrown in. e works of Planck, Einstein, Bohr, and Sommerfeld can be classed as old quantum theory. is is not meant to undermine the tremendous achievements that old quantum theory represents, but simply to underline its standing as a stage on the way to a fully formed quantum theory, which slowly emerged from the works of Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Born, and Dirac.

CRC Press eBooks•Mar 3, 2009•0 citations

The Historical Development of Quantum Theory Volume 1 Parts 1 and 2: The Quantum Theory of Planck, Einstein, Bohr and Sommerfeld – Its Foundation and the Rise of its Difficulties 1900–1925

Maurice Ebison

J Mehra and H Rechenberg 1982 Berlin: Springer Part 1 xlvii + 372 pp price DM75 ISBN 3 540 90642 8, Part 2 vi + 878 pp price DM85 ISBN 3 540 90667 3 These two volumes, which are the first of a massive ten-part enterprise, provide an exhaustive treatment of the foundation of quantum theory by Planck, Einstein, Bohr and Sommerfeld and the advent of its difficulties in the first quarter of the 20th century. The chief aim of the authors was to use the written resources and the recollections of leading physicists to describe the main ideas of and events in the birth of quantum theory.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE QUANTUM THEORY

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Arrival of the New Quantum Theory

David K. Ferry

The concept of eigenvalues comes from linear algebra rather than quantum mechanics, and came into the latter through the use of linear algebra and matrices. Arnold Sommerfeld felt that Niels Bohr’s atom could only be approximately correct in that it really had only one quantum condition, other than the use of Planck’s model. Paul Dirac had made significant advances in the foundations of quantum mechanics, and particularly in the mathematical basis of the theory, while the Gottingen group was waiting for their paper to appear in print. “In the present theory, the fundamental principles of quantum theory and the principle of conservation of energy follow mathematically from the quantum-mechanical equations.” Paul Ehrenfest was determined to try to calm the water between Bohr and A. Einstein. The rise of the new quantum mechanics had only served to stir up the debate once again, but Ehrenfest would not give up the task.

•Jan 2, 2019•0 citations
Now that we have reached the end of our brief tour through the early history of quantum theory, we need to stop and consider some important themes. From a historical point of view, a distinction can be drawn between ‘old quantum theory’ and the full quantum theory that we now use. Old quantum theory was in essence a patchwork cobbled together from classical physics with a few quantum ideas thrown in. e works of Planck, Einstein, Bohr, and Sommerfeld can be classed as old quantum theory. is is not meant to undermine the tremendous achievements that old quantum theory represents, but simply to underline its standing as a stage on the way to a fully formed quantum theory, which slowly emerged from the works of Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Born, and Dirac.
J Mehra and H Rechenberg 1982 Berlin: Springer Part 1 xlvii + 372 pp price DM75 ISBN 3 540 90642 8, Part 2 vi + 878 pp price DM85 ISBN 3 540 90667 3 These two volumes, which are the first of a massive ten-part enterprise, provide an exhaustive treatment of the foundation of quantum theory by Planck, Einstein, Bohr and Sommerfeld and the advent of its difficulties in the first quarter of the 20th century. The chief aim of the authors was to use the written resources and the recollections of leading physicists to describe the main ideas of and events in the birth of quantum theory.
The concept of eigenvalues comes from linear algebra rather than quantum mechanics, and came into the latter through the use of linear algebra and matrices. Arnold Sommerfeld felt that Niels Bohr’s atom could only be approximately correct in that it really had only one quantum condition, other than the use of Planck’s model. Paul Dirac had made significant advances in the foundations of quantum mechanics, and particularly in the mathematical basis of the theory, while the Gottingen group was waiting for their paper to appear in print. “In the present theory, the fundamental principles of quantum theory and the principle of conservation of energy follow mathematically from the quantum-mechanical equations.” Paul Ehrenfest was determined to try to calm the water between Bohr and A. Einstein. The rise of the new quantum mechanics had only served to stir up the debate once again, but Ehrenfest would not give up the task.