Looking for short stories of physicists and scientists

1942 65438+1October 8th, Hawking was born in Oxford, England. This is the day when Galileo, a great physicist and astronomer, suddenly died 300 years ago. Galileo was the first person to put forward the principle of the law of inertia (all objects will keep their original motion state when they are not acted by external forces), and later Newton systematically summarized this law (so later generations also called it "Newton's first law"), making it the cornerstone of all mechanical laws. Einstein put forward special relativity and general relativity, which completely changed the concept of time and space of human beings. How does Hawking's achievements compare with those of his predecessors? Is he eligible for the Science Hall of Fame? Let's start with his first appearance in academia:

1970, 28-year-old Hawking cooperated with R. Penrose to prove the "singularity theorem": under certain conditions, according to the general theory of relativity, BIGBANG must start from a "singularity". Because of this, they all won the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1988.

Hawking's contributions-the study of the nature of black holes and the theory of quantum gravity-are not as important as Newton's law of universal gravitation and Einstein's two theories of relativity, but they are enough to make him occupy a place in the Science Hall of Fame. His theory of quantum gravity, in particular, has integrated two fields of modern physics and formed his own system, which enables him to be on an equal footing with the scientists who founded molecular biology (the successful combination of biology and quantum mechanics).

Before Hawking, all theories of the universe were based on general relativity, but only Hawking discovered and proved that general relativity was only an incomplete theory, which could not tell us the details of the origin of the universe. Because according to the conclusion of general relativity, all physical theories (including itself) will fail at the beginning of the universe. Obviously, the general theory of relativity is only an incomplete "partial" theory, so the singularity theorem really shows that there was a moment in the very early universe, when the universe was so small that people had to consider studying it with another great "partial" theory of the 20th century-quantum mechanics, which specifically described the microscopic world. Hawking and his partners were forced to turn from a very large-scale theoretical research to a very small-scale theoretical research.

There is just such a possible tiny celestial body that can be used as the research object. As Hawking later recalled: "Studying the properties of black holes helps us to understand the singularity of the Big Bang at the same time, because they are so similar." So he began to devote himself to the study of black holes.

Nouns explain black holes: massive stars burned inside will collapse toward the center due to their own gravity, and eventually form dense black holes. A black hole is a solid particle in the universe, and its volume tends to zero, while its density (density = mass ÷ volume) is almost infinite. Because of its strong gravity, as long as there is an object close to this particle, it will be attracted by the strong gravity, even if it propagates 300 thousand kilometers per second. In other words, no signal can come out within the range of the black hole. The boundary of this sphere of action is called the "horizon", and human beings can't see the situation inside-it is dark for observers-which is also the origin of the name of the black hole.

In 197 1, Hawking pointed out that the time of the big bang may produce "primordial black hole" as small as protons (radius 10- 13 cm) and weighing about one billion tons, and their life span is roughly the same as that of the universe.

1973, Hawking, B. Carter and others strictly proved the hairless theorem of black holes: "No matter what kind of black holes, their final properties are only determined by several physical quantities (mass, angular momentum and charge)". That is, when a black hole is formed, only these three conserved quantities that cannot be changed into electromagnetic radiation are left, and all other information ("hair") is lost. J.A. Wheeler, who is known as the "black hole", jokingly called this feature "black hole hairless".

Brief introduction of famous physicists in China

Youxun Wu

Teacher Wu 19 16 was admitted to the Department of Physics and Chemistry of Nanjing Normal University and studied under Dr. Hu who returned from studying in the United States. Under the guidance of Mr. Hu, Wu learned something about X-rays at home. 192 1 got the opportunity to study in the United States with excellent results. At the end of this year, Wu went to the United States and entered the University of Chicago at the beginning of 1922. A famous physicist at that time? h？ Compton is engaged in research and teaching at the University of Chicago as a visiting scholar. 1923 officially became a university professor. In May of that year, Compton published a paper explaining the phenomenon of frequency change after X-rays were scattered by graphite (hereinafter referred to as Compton effect). Duane, an important figure in American physics who also studied this phenomenon at that time, had the so-called "box effect" and "triple radiation" theory, so he strongly opposed Compton's work. Wu has done a lot of in-depth research on more than a dozen elements as scattering materials, and has given great support to Compton's theory with irrefutable facts through carefully designed experimental schemes. These achievements have attracted the attention and recognition of the international physics community. Relevant data are cited by some international works. Mr. Wu received his doctorate at 1926. Some foreign physics textbooks call Compton Effect Compton-Wu Xun You Effect because they respect Mr. Wu's work.

Ny Tsi - Zé

Mr. Yan 1923 went to study in France, and 1927 received a doctor of science degree. 1880 famous physicist Boolean? Madame Curie discovered the piezoelectric effect of crystal, but the quantitative data of piezoelectric effect was obtained through Mr. Yan's in-depth research and accurate measurement. Yan Jici's tutor is physicist Charlie? Fabry, he is a good friend of the Curies. Mary? Madame Curie was very supportive of Mr. Yan's research, and lent the crystal samples used by Madame Curie forty years ago. The famous physicist Ron Wan Zhi also appreciated Yan Jici and gave him a lot of guidance and help. On the basis of a large number of experiments, Mr. Yan summed up that the piezoelectric effect and its inverse effect of crystals are anisotropic, saturated and instantaneous, which expanded and developed Madame Curie's theory. 1927, Fabry was elected as an academician of the French Academy of Sciences. At the inauguration ceremony, he read the doctoral thesis of his favorite pupil, Yan Jici. Mr. Yan returned to China on 193 1. 1935 and the famous physicist f? I Aurio-Curie and Kapitza were elected as directors of the French Physical Society.

Zhao Zhongyao

Mr. Zhao Zhongyao 1927 went to teach at California Institute of Technology, 1923 won the milligan Nobel Prize, and 1930 received his doctorate. 1979, when Ding Zhaozhong inaugurated the Petra accelerator at the Synchrotron Radiation Center in West Germany, he introduced Zhao Zhongyao to hundreds of scientists from more than ten countries: "This is the earliest discoverer of positron and electron production and annihilation. Without his discovery, there would be no present positron collider ",which refers to the second topic given by Mr. Zhao in milligan's research (the first topic was rejected by Mr. Zhao)," Absorption coefficient of hard gamma rays passing through matter ". The so-called anomaly is very different from the Klein-PeopleSoft formula recognized at that time, that is, only the scattering on light elements conforms to it, but it is very different when it passes through heavy elements. For example, when hard gamma rays are scattered by lead, the absorption coefficient is about 40% larger than the formula result. Milligan believed the result of Klein-PeopleSoft formula, but he didn't believe the result of Mr Zhao, so he put his paper on hold for more than two months. Later, because Professor Bowen knew Mr. Zhao's work very well and made a guarantee to milligan, the article was published in the May issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1930. In the next experiment, Zhao Zhongyao found that when γ -rays were scattered by lead, there was a special kind of light radiation accompanied by abnormal absorption besides Compton scattering. Because the method used at that time can't show the detailed mechanism, we can only conclude that these two phenomena are not caused by electrons in the nuclear shell, but by the nuclear. In fact, anomalous absorption is the result of the decrease in the number of positive and negative electron pairs produced by gamma rays around the nucleus, and special radiation is the annihilation radiation of two (or more) photons produced by the collision and annihilation of a positron and a negative electron.

king

Mr. Wang said: "The older generation of physicists in China can leave their names in the history of science, such as He Wang."

1930, Mr. Wang was admitted as a formal student and went to the Royal Institute of Chemistry of the University of Berlin, Germany, where he studied under Metnaz. He was fortunate to have attended lectures by Born, Mises, Hai, Northam, Frank, Schrodinger and Debye at Gottingen and Berlin University. 1933, 26-year-old Mr. Wang completed the famous physicist Feng's doctoral thesis "β Spectrum of +C+C 1 1"? The defense committee composed of Laue, Mattenas deliberated and passed Wang's doctoral thesis. 1934 65438+ 10 Wang visited Cavendish laboratory and called on physicists such as Rutherford and chadwick. 1934 returned to China in April.

Mr. Wang's scientific contributions mainly include: putting forward an experimental scheme to verify the existence of neutrinos; Study on the decay characteristics of muons with cosmic rays. The anti-fitness negative hyperon was discovered for the first time. It is the first time to observe antiparticles with strange quarks produced by the interaction of elementary particles, and 1982 won the first prize of national invention.

Mr. Wang participated in the experimental research and organizational leadership of the development of two bombs in China, and was one of the main founders of the development of nuclear weapons in China.

Qian Xuesen

Qian Xuesen (191-), a scientist and rocket expert in China, 19 1+ 12+0 was born in Shanghai and came to Beijing with his father at the age of 3.1930. Later, he stayed in the United States and served as lecturer, associate professor, professor, director of supersonic laboratory and director of Guggenheim Jet Propulsion Research Center. 1950 began to work hard to return to the motherland, persecuted by the American government, and lost his freedom. /kloc-0 returned to China in 1955, which lasted for five years. Since 1958, he has been the technical director of rocket, missile and spacecraft development for a long time. 1959, joined the China * * * production party. He is currently the honorary chairman of China Association for Science and Technology.

Qian Xuesen entered the Department of Aeronautical Engineering at MIT on 1935. At that time, California Institute of Technology was the only college in the United States with an aerodynamic laboratory, and its director was a famous Hungarian scholar von? Carmen (also translated by Feng? Kaman). Feng? Carmen was also an accomplished physicist in her early years. Is that Max? One of Born's good friends and partners. Later, Carmen specialized in fluid dynamics and aerodynamics and became a very famous authority on these two aspects. 1936 In the autumn, Mr. Qian visited Carmen, California. Carmen admired Qian Xuesen's quick thinking and suggested that Qian Xuesen come to him for a doctorate. From then on, Qian Xuesen specialized in high-speed aerodynamics under the guidance of Carmen. China students won Carmen's special love. Besides Mr. Qian, he also trained famous mathematicians and scientists such as Qian Weichang and Guo Yonghuai. He often said, "There are two smartest people in the world, one is Hungarian and the other is China".

Under the guidance of Carmen, Qian Xuesen published eight papers in the journals of Aviation Science and Applied Mechanics during the period of 1933- 1945, and put forward Carmen-Qian Xuesen formula, similarity law of transonic flow and many other pioneering works. From 65438 to 0945, Carmen was the head of the scientific advisory panel of the US Air Force and was awarded the rank of major general, while Qian Xuesen was the head of the rocket group of the advisory panel and the rank of colonel. After World War II, the US Air Force authorities spoke highly of Qian Xuesen's work and thought that he had made great contributions to the victory of the war. Carmen even valued his favorite student, calling him the most effective rocket expert. Qian Xuesen went through several hardships on 1955 before returning to China, which laid the foundation for the development of rocket, missile and space technology in new China. 199 1 won the title of "National Outstanding Contribution Scientist".

qian sanqiang

Qian Sanqiang (19 13— 1992), an experimental physicist in China, was born in Xing Wu county, Zhejiang province. 1929 was admitted to Peking university science foundation, 1932 was admitted to Tsinghua University physics department, and 1936 graduated from Tsinghua University physics department. 1937 studying in France, in Iorio? Under the guidance of the Curies, he studied nuclear physics in the Curie Laboratory of the Institute of Radium Science of the University of Paris and the Nuclear Chemistry Laboratory of the College de France. 1940 got a doctorate in France, 1942 went to Lyon at the end of the year and waited to return to China by boat. Due to the interruption of the Pacific route, he stayed at the University of Lyon to teach, and 1944 and 1947 became researchers and researchers at the French National Scientific Research Center. Debaway bonus. After returning to China from 65438 to 0948, he served as a professor in the Physics Department of Tsinghua University and director of the Atomic Research Institute of Beiping Research Institute. After the establishment of China Academy of Sciences, he has successively served as deputy director, director of Institute of Modern Physics, deputy director and director of Planning Bureau, secretary-general of academic secretariat, deputy secretary-general of 1956- 1978, director of 1958 Institute of Atomic Energy and vice president of 1978. From 65438 to 0955, he was employed as a member of the Department of Mathematical and Physical Chemistry of China Academy of Sciences (now the Department of Mathematical and Physical Chemistry), a member of the presidium and a special consultant. 1956 ——1978 also served as the deputy minister of the Second Ministry of Machinery Industry. From 195 1, he was elected vice chairman of the Chinese Physical Society, and from 1982, he was elected chairman. 1978 was elected as the 6th Standing Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. 1992 died in Beijing at 0: 28 on June 28th at the age of 79.

1948 After Qian Sanqiang returned to China, he trained a group of talents engaged in nuclear science research and established a nuclear science research base in China. From 65438 to 0955, he participated in the establishment and organization of atomic energy and transformed the Institute of Modern Physics into the Institute of Atomic Energy.

He led and promoted the development of this undertaking and related scientific and technological work, and made contributions to the construction, planning and academic leadership of China Academy of Sciences and China Atomic Energy.

1937, Qian Sanqiang was admitted by the China-France Education Fund Committee to study in France. When Xia arrived in Paris, he was attending a meeting in France and personally introduced him to Elena? Madame Curie. Elena. Curie and Aurio? The Curies are called "Little Curies". After Qian Sanqiang entered the Curie laboratory, he did as much concrete work as possible. Besides my own thesis work, I help others whenever I have the chance, in order to learn more experimental skills. Someone asked him why? Qian Sanqiang said, "I can't compare with you. There are so many people here, each doing his own thing. After returning to China, I am alone and I must be able to do anything. " In this way, more than two years of laboratory work has enriched Qian Sanqiang's knowledge and practical skills.

1939, Hitler's army occupied France, and Qian Sanqiang tried to escape with his colleagues, but failed. At this time, his expenses for studying abroad at public expense were interrupted, so he could not return to China and lost his livelihood. When Qian Sanqiang was in the most difficult time, Iori Yagami, who refused to leave France at that time, gave him a helping hand. He said, "In this case, we'd better try to stay. As long as we can survive and the laboratory is still open, we can always try to arrange it for you. " 1943 Qian Sanqiang returned to Paris to continue his research work in Curie Laboratory until he returned home. Qian Sanqiang not only finished his studies, but also became a famous physicist with his outstanding contributions. From 65438 to 0946, the research group led by him used nuclear latex to study uranium fission, discovered the famous phenomenon of uranium nuclear trisection and tetralogy, and obtained Henry? Budd prize for microphysics. I Aurio once said: "The trisection and tetralogy of uranium nucleus are the important work of French nuclear physics since the Second World War." From 65438 to 0947, Qian Sanqiang served as the research tutor of French National Scientific Research Center.

1948 when Qian Sanqiang returned to China, the little curies wrote him a comment, saying, "He is full of enthusiasm for scientific career, and he is clever and original. It is no exaggeration to say that he is one of the best scientists of his generation who came to our laboratory to be guided by us. ...... The state recognized Mr. Qian's talent and hired him as a researcher and research tutor of the National Research Center. He won an award from the French Academy of Sciences. "

"Mr. Qian is also an excellent organizer. He has all kinds of moral qualities applied by the leaders of research institutions in spirit, science and technology. "

Peng huanwu

Born mentioned in his book My Life and My Viewpoint: "There are four talented China students among my students; One of them is Huang Kun ... ",and the other three are Peng Huanwu, Cheng,.

Peng Huanwu, 19 15, a native of Changchun City, Jilin Province. 1938 went to the University of Edinburgh in England with Born in the autumn, 1940 received a doctorate in philosophy, 1945 received a doctorate in science, and/kloc-0 returned to China at the end of 947. Born recalled in his book My Life: "My first China student was a short and strong young man named Peng (Huanwu). He is very talented ... I remember once he made a mistake on a theoretical issue. After the mistake was discovered, he was very depressed and decided to give up scientific research and write a big scientific encyclopedia for the people of China, including all the important discoveries and technical methods in the West. When I said that I thought it was too big a task for one person, he replied that a China could do the work of 65,438+00 Europeans. He was appointed as a professor at the Schrodinger Institute for Advanced Studies in Dublin, Ireland, replacing W. Hai Telei ... I think Peng is the first China person to get a professorship in Europe. A few years later, he decided to return to China. Before he left, he came to visit us and went with us to Yulapur in the northwest highland of Scotland, where we spent our holiday. ... we had a wonderful few days together. Later, he left, we never saw him again, and he didn't write. " Born said, "Apart from his mysterious talent, Peng is very simple and looks like a powerful farmer." From Born's words, he revealed his love, appreciation and yearning for this stubborn young man from the north of China. When Mr. Peng was in England, he cooperated with Hai Telei to do theoretical research on mesons. Because of his contribution to theoretical physics, he shared with Born the McDougall-Bresban Award 1945 of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, England. After returning to China, he continued to study nuclear physics and put forward a calculation method of molecular structure based on electron bond wave function. 1956- 1957 under his leadership, Deng Jiaxian published a series of important papers in cooperation with He Xiuzhan, Xu Jianming and Yu Min, which made pioneering work for the research of nuclear physics in China.

Mr. Peng 1982 won the first prize of National Natural Science. 1985 won the national special prize for scientific and technological progress.

Yang Zhenning

Yang Zhenning (1922-), a Chinese-American theoretical physicist, was born in Hefei County, Anhui Province (now Hefei City) on June+/October/922.

He completed his bachelor's thesis under the guidance of Wu Dayou, Department of Physics, Southwest Associated University. 1942 After graduation, he entered the graduate school for further study and studied statistical physics under the guidance of teacher Wang Zhuxi. 1945 went to the United States and became a graduate student at the University of Chicago.

By e？ Fermi edified, in the tutor e? Under the guidance of Taylor, he completed his doctoral thesis and obtained his doctorate 1948. 1948- 1949, faculty member, University of Chicago, 1948- 1955, Professor, Princeton Institute for Advanced Studies, 1955- 1966, new york State University.

Stoneboog

Professor of physics at Einstein Creek, director of the newly established Institute of Theoretical Physics, was awarded the 1985 National Science and Technology Medal by the President of the United States. 1948 65438+On February 27th, Peking University awarded Yang Zhenning the honorary professor certificate.

Yang Zhenning has made extensive contributions to theoretical physics, including elementary particles, statistical mechanics and condensed matter physics. He made many contributions to theoretical structure and phenomenological analysis.

Deng Jiaxian

Deng Jiaxian (1924— 1986), a nuclear physicist in China, was born in Huaining, Anhui Province on June 25th, 1924. His grandfather was a famous calligrapher and seal engraver in Qing Dynasty, and his father was a famous aesthete and art historian. After the July 7th Incident, the whole family stayed in Beiping. 16 years old, they came to Jiangjin, Sichuan, and finished high school with their sister. 1941-1945 studied in the Physics Department of National Southwest Associated University, and studied under famous professors such as Wang Zhuxi and Zheng Huachi. 1945 After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, he moved back to Beiping and applied to teach in the Physics Department of Peking University. From 65438 to 0948, he went to Purdue University in Indiana, USA, and was elected to the general board of directors of the American Association for Studying Abroad. The birth of the new China made him determined to return to his motherland as soon as possible. 1950 In August, the ninth day after he got his degree, he broke through many obstacles and boarded the returning ship. 1950 10 used to be an assistant researcher at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, engaged in nuclear theory research. 1958 In August, he was transferred to the newly established Nuclear Weapons Research Institute as the director of the theoretical department, responsible for leading the theoretical design of nuclear weapons. Later, he served as deputy director and director of the Institute, vice president and dean of the Ninth Research and Design Institute of the Ministry of Nuclear Industry, deputy director of the Science and Technology Committee of the Ministry of Nuclear Industry, and deputy director of the Science and Technology Committee of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. He is the main organizer and leader of China's nuclear weapons research and development.

1956 joined China * * * Production Party, member of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and academician of China Academy of Sciences.

1985 suffered from rectal cancer in July and kept working until the last moment of his life. 1986 died in Beijing on July 29th at the age of 62.

Li zongdao

Theoretical physicist Li Zhengdao (1926-). 1926165438+1was born in Shanghai on October 25th. 1943- 1944 studied in the Physics Department of Zhejiang University (when he was a freshman in Yongxing, Guizhou) and started his academic career inspired by his teacher Hsin P. Soh. 1944 suspended from school due to rollover injury. 1945 transferred to the Physics Department of The National SouthWest Associated University, Kunming. 1946, recommended by his teacher Wu Dayou, he won a national scholarship and went to the United States for further study. 1948 In the spring, Li Zhengdao passed the postgraduate qualification examination and began to do doctoral thesis research under the guidance of Fermi.

At the end of 1949, under the guidance of Fermi, Li Zhengdao completed his doctoral thesis on white dwarfs and obtained his doctorate. After that, I worked as a lecturer, studied in the astronomy department of the school for half a year, and studied in the physics department of the University of California (Berkeley) for one year.

1950, married Qin, a college student from Shanghai. They have two children, the eldest son Li Zhongqing, who is currently a history professor at California Institute of Technology; Li, the second son, is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Michigan. 195 1 year worked in Princeton institute for advanced studies. 1953 was an assistant professor of physics at Columbia University, 1955 was an associate professor, 1956 was a professor, 1957 was a Nobel Prize winner in physics, 1957 was a professor at Princeton Institute for Advanced Studies and Columbia University,1960- Professor of Physics Department of Columbia University 1963, Professor of Fermi Physics Department 1964, Professor of the whole school 1983. He is also a member of the American Academy of Sciences.

Li Zhengdao's outstanding contribution to modern physics is that he cooperated with Yang Zhenning in 1956 and studied the puzzling "θ? The mystery of γ ",the so-called k meson, has two different decay modes, one decays to even parity state and the other decays to odd parity state. It is recognized that parity may not be conserved in weak interactions. In addition, several experimental methods are proposed to test whether parity is conserved in weak interaction. The next year, this theory was predicted by Wu Jianxiong's experiment. Therefore, the work of Li Zhengdao and Yang Zhenning was quickly recognized by the academic circles and won the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Samuel Chao Chung Ting

Ding Zhaozhong (1936—), experimental physicist. My ancestral home is Rizhao, Shandong. 1956 went to the university of Michigan, USA, and studied in the department of physics and mathematics successively. 1960 got the master's degree, 1962 got the doctor's degree in physics. 1963, he got a scholarship from Ford Foundation to work at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. From 65438 to 0964, he worked at Columbia University. 1965

In 2000, he became a lecturer at Columbia University in new york. Professor from Physics Department of Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1967. His research interests are high-energy experimental particle physics, including quantum electrodynamics, unified theory of electronegativity and quantum chromodynamics. A sign of his leadership? Jay's experimental group has worked in several international experimental centers.

Because of Ding Zhaozhong's contribution to physics, 1976 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics (the discovery of J/ψ particles), 1988 was awarded the Lorenz Prize by the American government and the Tekaspery Prize by the Italian government. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts, a foreign member of the former Soviet Academy of Sciences, a member of the China Taipei Academia Sinica, and a member of the Pakistani Academy of Sciences. He was awarded honorary doctorates by University of Michigan (1978), Chinese University of Hong Kong (1987), University of Bologna (1988) and Columbia University (1990). He is an honorary professor in China, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Beijing Normal University. He has won many medals, such as 1977 Erin Gold Award from American Society of Engineering Science, Leopard Excellence Award from taormina, Italy, and Science Gold Award from Brescia, Italy. He is also the editorial board of scientific journals such as B (Nuclear Physics B, Nuclear Instruments and Methods and Mathem at Physical Modeling).