Session C13 - History of Physics.
ORAL session, Saturday afternoon, April 28
Room 12-13, Renaissance Hotel

[C13.001] Cosmonumerology, Cosmophysics, and the Large Numbers Hypothesis: British Cosmology in the 1930s

A number of unorthodox cosmological models were developed in the 1930s, many by British theoreticians. Three of the most notable of these theories included Eddington's cosmonumerology, Milne's cosmophysics, and Dirac's large numbers hypothesis (LNH). Dirac's LNH was based partly on the other two and it has been argued that modern steady-state theories are based partly on Milne's cosmophysics. But what influenced Eddington and Milne? Both were products of the late Victorian education system in Britain and could conceivably have been influenced by Victorian thought which, in addition to its strict (though technically unoffical) social caste system, had a flair for the unusual. Victorianism was filled with a fascination for the occult and the supernatural, and science was not insulated from this trend (witness the Henry Slade trial in 1877). It is conceivable that the normally strict mentality of the scientific process in the minds of Eddington and Milne was affected, indirectly, by this trend for the unusual, possibly pushing them into thinking "outside the box" as it were. In addition, cosmonumerology and the LNH exhibit signs of Pythagorean and Aristotelian thought. It is the aim of this ongoing project at St. Andrews to determine the influences and characterize the relations existing in and within these and related theories.

[C13.002] Oppenheimer on the Nature of Science: 1945-1954

The purpose of this talk is two-fold: (1) to review Oppenheimer's views on the nature of science and its relations to society as developed between 1945 to 1954, and (2) with this review in mind, to provide some general guidelines for interpreting his views and works on the nature of science. In the review, three topics are considered - science as community, the spiritual and material fruits of science, and complementarity of atomic physics. The reception of his views is also considered. In the guidelines for interpretation, three topics are considered - relations to other works, interactions between Oppenheimer and other intellectuals, and the influence of Niels Bohr. In this talk, no attempt is made at criticizing Oppenheimer's views since the emphasis is more historical focusing on such issues as the development, reception, and influence of his ideas. **For more information, see Michael Day, "Oppenheimer on the Nature of Science," Centaurus, forthcoming 2001.

[C13.003] Rabi, the proton magnetic moment, and the ˇ2-wire˘ magnet, 1931-34

With the assistance of Gregory Breit, I.I. Rabi, at Columbia University, worked out in 1931 a method to determine the spin (not the magnetic moment) of atomic nuclei by deflecting an atomic beam of the isotope in question in a weak, but long, inhomogeneous magnetic field. Crucial to this method was that it required no exact knowledge of that field. When the sensational result: _p = 2.5:_Bohr(m_e/m_p) from Otto Stern's deflection of a beam of hydrogen molecules in a strong magnetic field became known late in 1932, its confirmation by another laboratory, preferably by another method, seemed urgent. No one else had the refined technique to reproduce Stern's experiment. But because the hydrogen electronic wave function was known, the Breit Rabi technique was susceptible of extension in this case to the measurement of the magnetic moment of the proton but only with accurate knowledge of the magnetic field and field gradient traversed by the atomic hydrogen beam. To this end Rabi introduced the '2 wire' magnet, producing a weak field and uniform gradient that could be calculated rather than measured. This field configuration quickly came to be used in all magnetic deflection experiments in Rabi's laboratory, first as produced directly by electric currents, and subsequently as emulated in iron electromagnets in order to achieve the higher magnetic fields required by molecular beam magnetic resonance experiments from 1937 onward.

[C13.004] University-School Partnership: Physics for Pre-Engineering High School Students

A university-school district partnership at Angelo State University provides opportunities for 7-10th graders to participate in an intensive 8-weeks summer program in math, physics, engineering problems, and mathematics each summer. The program identifies achieving middle- and high-school students with the interest and potential for careers in engineering, science, technology, and other mathematics-related areas and reinforces them in pursuit of these fields. Enrollment targets students who are female and members of minority groups. PREP stresses the development of abstract reasoning and problem solving skills, as well as the application of this knowledge, through coursework, team projects, class presentations, and examinations. The program is free to all students who are selected. Results of the program have been outstanding. In 1998, 1,203 students began the program; 1,057 completed it successfully. Of those who began PREP, 77traditionally underrepresented in the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering, 54income. Since the program’s inception in 1979, 7,700 students have completed at least one summer component of PREP. 4,067 former participants are now of college age. The High School Graduation Rate for participants is 99.9the College Graduation Rate is 90graduates are engineering, mathematics, or science majors

[C13.005] IT-based Physics Education in Korea

Up to the mid-nineties, Korean education could be characterized by quantitative expansion, in line with the industrial development, and physics education was no exception. However, the rapid change in technology and international relations led to an ongoing educational reform for qualitative improvement. It strives for customer-oriented education, program divesification, and IT-rich training to prepare people for the future. This paper summarizes the current status of IT-based physics education with emphasis on collaborative effort recently initiated in the Korean physics community.

Part C of program listing