JF Ptak Science Books // Blog Bookstore

Pre-Edition of a Classic Work in the History of Science

KUHN, Thomas S.  "Historical Structure of Scientific Discovery", offprint from Science, June 1, 1962.  11x8.5", 5pp.  Original wrappers.  Three-hole-punched.  Very good condition. $250

This is an early appearance of the idea of Kuhn's classic work, The Structure of Scientific Revolution, published in  "Structure was not the first time Kuhn had thought about discoveries and their role in the development of science. A few years earlier he had published “Energy Conservation as an Example of Simultaneous Discovery” and just before Structure appeared a short article in Science “Historical Structure of Scientific Discovery.” Whereas in these earlier articles Kuhn had identified various classes of discovery, in Structure he focused on those he had called “troublesome” discoveries, which could not have been predicted by contemporary scientific theory and ultimately required scientists to formulate new paradigms." ("The larger revolution will be discussed in my forthcoming book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions to be published in the fall by the University of Chicago Press. The central ideas in this paper have been abstracted from that source, particularly from the third chapter, 'Anomaly and the emergence of scientific discoveries'."

Geiger & Rutherford (Gold Foil Experiment), J.J. Thomson, Joly, Jeans, Sutherland, Wood, and many others 1910

The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine; London, Taylor & Francis, Volume XIX, Sixth Series, 1910, viii, 1016, 20 plates, most folding. Heavy buckram binding, with reinforced hinges, making this brick-of-a-book and very readable thing.  Red leather spine label. This is "ex-library", though the only evidence of that is a card pocket on the front free endpaper, c'est tout.   $350

Hans Geiger and Ernest Rutherford, "On the number of alpha particles emitted by uranium and thorium and by uranium materials",  pp 691-698. AND:

Ernest Rutherford and Hans Geiger, "On the probability Variations in the distribution of alpha-particles, with a note by H. Bateman", pp 698-707

Continuing work on earlier publications on the Geiger -Madison/Rutherford gold foil experiment(s) ("The Scattering of the alpha particles by matter" in 1910 and "On a diffuse reflection of the alpha-particles" (1909). "The Geiger–Marsden experiment(s) (also called the Rutherford gold foil experiment) were a landmark series of experiments by which scientists discovered that every atom contains a nucleus where its positive charge and most of its mass are concentrated. They deduced this by measuring how an alpha particle beam is scattered when it strikes a thin metal foil. "--Wiki "Geiger-Marsden Experiment"

With other interesting work including:

H. Stanley Allen "The Photoelectric Fatigue of Metals";

Harold A. Wilson, "On the Statistical Theory of Heat Radiation", pp 121-125; 

Harold A. Wilson, "On the electron theory of the optical properties of metals", pp 835-844; 

Harold A. Wilson, "On the statistical theory of radiation", pp 904-5; 

O.W. Richardson and H.L. Cooke, "On the heat developed during the Absorption of electrons by platinum", pp 173-206;

J.J. Thomson, "On the theory of radiation", pp 238-247;

J.J. Thomson, "On rays of positive electricity", pp 752-768

William Sutherland, "On the molecular and electronic potential energy",  pp 249-266;

William Sutherland, " On the mechanical vibrations of atoms", pp 657-660;

Charles G. Barkla, "On typical cases of ionization by x-rays",   pp 370-380;

J.H. Jeans, "On the analysis of the radiation from electron orbits", pp 642-652;

J.H. Jeans, "On non-Newtonian Mechanical Systems, and Planck's theory of radiation", pp 943-955;

J.H. Jeans, "On the motion of a particle about a doublet", pp 380-382;

J.J. Thomson, "On the motion of an electrified particle near an electrical doublet", pp 544-545; 

F. Soddy, "On the homogeneity of the gamma rays of radium", pp 383-4; 

also four papers by the very impressive former president of the American Physical Society (1935) Robert W. Wood, among much else. 

 

Papers by Bohr, Eddington, Thomson, Narayan, Darwin (1922)

The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science, volume XLIII, Sixth Series, January-June 1922; London, Taylor ad Francis, 1922.   viii, 1144pp, 22 plates (many folding). Bound in red cloth. The corners are a little bumped from the size and shape of the book; there's also a tear in the upper rear joint, and some bumping to the spine top and bottoms; also, there's a bit of a chipped spot about a half-inch across on the spine top. Lastly, there's a library call slip (and that is all) on the front free endpaper. Overall, a nice copy. $250

Niels Bohr, “On the Selection Principle of the Quantum Theory”, pp 1112-1116;

G.B. Jeffrey, "The Identical Relations in Einstein's Theory", pp 600-604;

A.S. Eddington, "On the Significance of Einstein's Gravitational Equations in terms of Curvature of the World", pp. 174-177;

H.J. Priestly, "Reply to Sir Oliver Lodge's paper on Einstein's Spectral Shift", pp 396-397;

Bailey, V. A., and Townsend, J. S., "The motion of electrons in argon", pp. 593–600;

Bailey, V. A., and Townsend, J. S., "The abnormally long free paths of electrons in argon", pp. 1127–1128; "The Ramsauer–Townsend effect, also sometimes called the Ramsauer effect or the Townsend effect, is a physical phenomenon involving the scattering of low-energy electrons by atoms of a noble gas. Since its explanation requires the wave theory of quantum mechanics, it demonstrates the need for physical theories more sophisticated than those of Newtonian physics."--Wiki

A. L. Narayan, “Coupled vibration by means of a double Pendulum”, pp 567 – 574;

A. L. Narayan, “Mechanical illustration of three magnetically coupled oscillating circuits.” pp 575–580.

A. L. Narayana“A modified form of double slit spectrophotometer”, pp 662 – 663.

A. L. Narayan; G. Subrahmanyam, “Surface tension of soap solutions for different concentrations.” pp. 663 – 671;

F.Y. Edgeworth, "On the Application of Probabilities to the Movement of Gas-Molecules", pp 241-258;

C.G. Darwin, "On the theory of Radiation", pp 641-649; 

C.G. Darwin, "On the Reflexion of X-Rays from Imperfect Crystals", pp 800-829 (another very long entry);

and a very long contribution by J.J. Thomson, "Application of the Electron Theory of Chemistry to Solids", pp 721-757;

Robert W. Wood (the multiply-accomplished soon-to-be president of the APS), "Flouresence and Photo-Chemistry", pp757-767;

"On the Problem of the Entropy of the Universe as a Whole", 1931

TOLMAN, Richad C.   "On the Problem of the Entropy of the Universe as a Whole", in the Physical Review, volume 37 #12, 15 June 1931, pp 1639-1660.  In the original printed wrappers, a Very Good copy.  $225

"A cyclic model is any of several cosmological models in which the universe follows infinite, self-sustaining cycles. For example, the oscillating universe theory briefly considered by Albert Einstein in 1930 theorized a universe following an eternal series of oscillations, each beginning with a big bang and ending with a big crunch; in the interim, the universe would expand for a period of time before the gravitational attraction of matter causes it to collapse back in and undergo a bounce."

"In the 1920s, theoretical physicists, most notably Albert Einstein, considered the possibility of a cyclic model for the universe as an (everlasting) alternative to the model of an expanding universe. However, work by Richard C. Tolman in 1934 showed that these early attempts failed because of the cyclic problem: according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, entropy can only increase..."--"Cyclic Model", wiki.

Abstract: “The well-known problem of the entropy of the universe as a whole arises from the difficulties encountered by classical thermodynamics—first in failing to account for the presumed fact that the entropy of the universe has always been increasing at an enormous rate and nevertheless has not yet reached its maximum value—and second in failing to allow an emotionally satisfactory feeling towards our universe whose ultimate fate would be the stagnation of "heat-death." The purpose of the present article is to examine this problem from the point of view of the extension of thermodynamics to general relativity which has previously been made by the author.”--ResearchGate

 

The Einstein-Silberstein Controversy. 1936

Einstein, Albert and Nathan Rosen. "Two-Body Problem in General Relativity Theory" in Physical Review, Volume 49, Number 5, March 1, 1936, pp. 404-405 in the issue of pp 341-422.  Near-fine copy.  SOLD

"The Einstein–Silberstein Debate: In 1935, following a controversial debate with Einstein, Silberstein published a solution of Einstein's field equations that appeared to describe a static, axisymmetric metric with only two point singularities representing two point masses. Such a solution clearly violates our understanding of gravity: with nothing to support them and no kinetic energy to hold them apart, the two masses should fall towards each other due to their mutual gravity, in contrast with the static nature of Silberstein's solution. This led Silberstein to claim that Einstein's theory was flawed, in need of a revision. In response, Einstein and Rosen published a Letter to the Editor in which they pointed out a critical flaw in Silberstein's reasoning. Unconvinced, Silberstein took the debate to the popular press, with "The Evening Telegram" in Toronto publishing an article titled "Fatal blow to relativity issued here" on March 7, 1936. Nonetheless, Einstein was correct and Silberstein was wrong: as we know today, all solutions to Weyl's family of axisymmetric metrics, of which Silberstein's is one example, necessarily contain singular structures ("struts", "ropes", or "membranes") that are responsible for holding masses against the attractive force of gravity in a static configuration."--liquisearch

 

Magnetic Moment of the Proton and Deuton--Rabi, 1934

Rabi, I.I. with J.M.B. Kellogg and J.R. Zacharias. "Magnetic Moment of the Proton" and "Magnetic Moment of the Deuton", pp 157-163 and 163-166. Also with: G. Breit and I.I. Rabi, "On the Interpretation of Present Values of Nuclear Moments", pp 230-232.  Three articles in Physical Review, volume 46, number 3, August 1, 1934. Nice, crisp copy, with some slight fading on the extreme edges of the front wrapper. A near-fine copy.  $225    

"By 1934 groups led by Stern, now in Pittsburgh, and I. I. Rabi in New York had independently deduced that the magnetic moment of the neutron was negative and unexpectedly large by measuring the magnetic moments of the proton and deuteron. Values for the magnetic moment of the neutron were also determined by Robert Bacher (1933) at Ann Arbor and I.Y. Tamm and S.A. Altshuler (1934) in the Soviet Union from studies of the hyperfine structure of atomic spectra. By the late 1930s accurate values for the magnetic moment of the neutron had been deduced by the Rabi group using measurements employing newly developed nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The large value for the proton's magnetic moment and the inferred negative value for the neutron's magnetic moment were unexpected and raised many questions."--wiki  

See also this store's entry on Rabi's "Magnetic Moment" paper of 1936. 

The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Rabi in 1944 for this work discovering nuclear magnetic resonance ("for his resonance method for recording the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei").

Rabi and the Magnetic Moment, 1936

RABI, I.I. "On the Process of Space Quantization", in Physical Review, volume 49, 1936, pp 324-328. In the original wrappers.  Very good copy; with the fading rubber stamp of former owner Charles F. Meyer (1887-1968, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins '12, professor of physics at Michigan 1921-1948) on the cover, and with a small chip at the top of the spine; also a 1/4" receiving rubber stamp ("Feb 21 1936") on the cover.

The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Rabi in 1944 for this work discovering nuclear magnetic resonance ("for his resonance method for recording the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei"). "In the springtime of quantum mechanics, in 1936, I.I. Rabi investigated the semiclassical version of a model which now bears his name. The Rabi model describes the simplest interaction between a two-level atom and a classical light field..."-- Daniel Braak et alia, "Semi-classical and quantum Rabi models: in celebration of 80 years"

In this paper Rabi "presented a theory that became the basis for the magnetic resonance method, determination of the signs of magnetic moments". This "inaugurated a new era of precision: the experimental and theoretical difficulties that limited the precision of earlier results no longer existed". --John Rigden, Rabi, Scientist and Citizen, Harvard, 2000, p. 94. 

"The Rabi resonance method can be used to measure the energy splitting between two states. It play s an important role in quantum optics. It is fast becoming popular in analysis and design of spin qubit systems. First described in [these two papers]"--Victor E. Borisenko, Stefano Ossicini, What is What in the Nanoworld: A Handbook on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Wiley-VCH, 2008.

 Referenced in the Dictionary of Scientific Biography entry for Rabi, volume 24, p 191, and is one of six publications noted, this being the only paper with Rabi as the solo author. Cited 1350 times. 

AND WITH:

Rabi, "Space Quantization in a Gyrating Magnetic Field", in Physical Review, vol 51 number 8, April 15, 1937, pp 652-655 in the issue of pp 597-690. In the original wrappers. Very good, solid copy, though there is a 3" scratch in the lower right corner of the front wrapper--it doesn't go through the wrapper, but it is there.   (Abstract: "The nonadiabatic transitions which a system with angular momentum J makes in a magnetic field which is rotating about an axis inclined with respect to the field are calculated. It is shown that the effects depend on the sign of the magnetic moment of the system. We therefore have an absolute method for measuring the sign and magnitude of the moment of any system. Applications to the magnetic moment of the neutron, the rotational moment of molecules, and the nuclear moment of atoms with no extra-nuclear angular momentum are discussed."--ResearchGate, which references 762 citations. 

This volume also contains Fritz Zwicky's second paper on gravitational lensing, "On the probability of detecting nebulae which act as a gravitational lens", p 679.  

The pair: $950

 

Claiming Priority in the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat

Julius von Mayer, “Sur la transformation de la force vive en chaleur, et reciproquement”, in Comptes Rendus, 16 October, 1848, volume 27, number 16, pp 385-386 in the weekly issue of pp (373)-40. This is an extract from a larger bound volume. Good, fresh copy.  $150

“The idea that heat and work are equivalent was also proposed by Julius Robert von Mayer in 1842 ...independently by James Prescott Joule in 1843... Similar work was carried out by Ludwig A. Colding in 1840-1843, Also in 1847, Joule made a well-attended presentation at the annual meeting of British Association for the Advancement of Science. Among those in attendance was William Thomson. Thomson was intrigued but initially skeptical. Over the next two years, Thomson became increasingly convinced of Joule's theory, finally admitting his conviction in print in 1851, simultaneously crediting von Mayer...”

“However, in 1848, von Mayer had first had sight of Joule's papers and wrote to the French Académie des Sciences to assert priority. His letter [this paper] was published in the Comptes Rendus and Joule was quick to react. Thomson's close relationship with Joule allowed him to become dragged into the controversy. The pair planned that Joule would admit von Mayer's priority for the idea of the mechanical equivalent but to claim that experimental verification rested with Joule. Thomson's associates, co-workers and relatives such as William John Macquorn Rankine, James Thomson, James Clerk Maxwell, and Peter Guthrie Tait joined to champion Joule's cause.”

“...in 1862, John Tyndall...gave a lecture at the Royal Institution entitled On Force  in which he credited von Mayer with conceiving and measuring the mechanical equivalent of heat...Though Tyndall again pressed von Mayer's cause in Heat: A Mode of Motion (1863) with the publication of Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe's Edinburgh Review article Thermo-Dynamics in January 1864, Joule's reputation was sealed while that of von Mayer entered a period of obscurity.”--long quote from Wiki.

 

A "Blue Print" Paper for the Big Bang (1939)

GAMOW, George and Edward Teller, "On the Origin of Great Nebulae", in Physical Review, volume 55, number 7, April 1, 1939, pp 654-657, in the weekly issue of pp 609-671.   Original printed wrappers.  There's sohe rusting on the binding staples that comes through the front wrapper; also there are two small worn spots (a few millimeters each) that has taken away the word "volume" at the spine cover top. Other than this, A Very Good copy.   $250  A precursor to another April 1 paper (the Alpher-Bethe-Gamow work of great fame, 1948). 

Abstract:  from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory:

• "The formation of condensation due to gravitational instability is discussed in a uniformly expanding space. It is shown that such condensations cannot be formed at the present stage of the development of the universe but could have been formed in the past when all linear dimensions were 600 times smaller. This corresponds to the stage at which, according to astronomical observations, nebulae have been separated from each other. To get the correct dimensions of nebulae it is necessary to accept that the velocities of particles at the moment of separation were about 140 km/sec. which strongly suggests that these particles were stars and not atoms. The type of expansion necessary for the formation of nebulae indicates that space is infinite and unlimitedly expanding."

Seven Offprints by G.-A. Hirn, all Signed Presentation Copies (1882-1888)

All very nice copies, in wrappers, signed to the prominent physicist John Tyndall (1820-1893).  The seven: $600

Gustave Adolfe.Hirn, (1815-1890).  "Remarques sur un Principe de Physique d'un part M. Clausius dans sa Nouvelle Theorie des Moteurs a Vapeur." Institut de France, offprint: Comptes Rendus, 105, 24 October 1887. Paris, Gauthier-Villars, 1888.  Signed presentation to J. Tyndall,    17 March 1888.  13pp. Original wrappers, printed outer wrappers.  Very Good condition.

G.A. Hirn. "Reflexions sur une critique de M. Hugoniot, parue aux "Comptes Rendus" du 28 Juin" Offprint: Comptes Rendus, vol 103, 12 July, 1886. 4pp. Plain blue wrappers.  Presentation copy, signed cordially by "the author". Very Good condition.  

G.A. Hirn. "Nouvelle Refutation Generale des Theories Appelees Cinetiques". Published in Paris, Gauthier-Villars, 1886.  11x7", 41pp.  Original wrappers. Signed presentation copy to John Tyndall.  Very Good. 

G.A. Hirn. "Causes de la Detonation des Bolides et des Aerolithes", published in Paris, Gauthier-Villars, 1886. 10.5x7", 14pp. Outer wrappers. Signed presentation to John Tyndall, 18 Sept 1886.  Very Good condition.  

G.A. Hirn, "Reflexions Critiques sur la Theorie Cinetique de l'Univers, Refutation Scientifique du Materialisme.  Published in Colmar, by E. Barth, 1882. Offprint: "Memoire presente a la Classe des Sciences de l'Academie Royale de Belgique dans sa Seance du 2 Juillet 1881. 11x9", 31pp. Outer wrappers.  Signed presentation copy to John Tyndall, dated Colmar, 24.2.86, signed in full. Very Good copy.

G.A. Hirn, "La Notion de Forces, dans la Science Moderne." Paris, Bureau des Deux Revues, offprint de la Revue Scientifique, 1885.  Signed presentation copy to John Tyndall, dated from Colmar, 24.2.1886.  7.75"x5", 51pp.  Printed wrappers. Very Good copy.  

G.A. Hirn, "La Thermodynamique et l'Etude du Travail chez les Etres Vivants", Paris, Bureau des Revues, 1887.  11x8.5", 27pp. Signed presentation copy to John Tyndall, 17 March 1888. 11x8.25", 27pp.  Original printed wrappers.  Very Good copy. 

"Hirn became one of the first to investigate the internal phenomena of the steam engine. He had five engines at his disposal, including two of about 100 horsepower—a Woolf compound and a single-cylinder machine. In 1847 he discovered the mechanical equivalent of heat (later than, but independently of J. R. Mayer and Joule, whose priorities of 1842 and 1843 he acknowledged)."

"In continuing work directed at increasing the efficiency of the mill engine, Hirn established the first heat balance (1857). He showed the beneficial advantage of superheat over dry saturated steam in reducing cylinder condensation; the calculation is still known as Hirn’s analysis. Furthermore, he convinced skeptics of the advantage of steam-jacketing cylinders, a practice that had been discontinued when pressures, temperatures, and speeds had risen significantly above those of Watt’s era: he proved decisively that cylinder walls were active “thermal reservoirs.” Hirn’s Exposition analytique et expérimentale de la théorie meécanique de la chaleur (1862) was among the first systematic treatises on thermodynamics."

"Hirn’s activity was not limited to thermodynamics; the climatology and meteorology of Alsace were an intertest of his later years. Before the Franco-Prussian War he had established a number of weather stations that reported to him. After his retirement in 1880, he was able to resume this work through support from the Institut de France, instrumentation for the major obsrvatory atop his house being furnished by the Ministry of Public Works in Paris. Astronomy also engaged him, a paper on Saturn’s rings causing much discussion."--Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography, Vol. 6. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. p431-432.