Question

How did einstein unite wave and particles for radiation?

Answer 1

Niels Bohr, who was in a unique position to know,

always insisted on the variety and complexity that characterize

the history of quantum mechanics. In his last published

work1 he described “the ‘heroic era’ of quantum physics” as involving

“a unique cooperation of a whole generation of theoretical

physicists from many countries,” and “the combination of different

lines of approach and the introduction' of appropriate

mathematical methods.” Bohr’s words should serve as a warning

against attempts to oversimplify this history by making some

particular one of the lines of approach appear to be the principal

way in which quantum physics developed. Understandably, but

nonetheless unfortunately, many of the accounts of the period,

including some of the memoirs written by those who played leading

parts in it, suffer from this kind of oversimplification. The

picture of the development that one gets from such accounts,

interesting though they may be for their personal, first-hand details,

lacks just that variety and complexity peculiar to the prinNiels Bohr, who was in a unique position to know,

always insisted on the variety and complexity that characterize

the history of quantum mechanics. In his last published

work1 he described “the ‘heroic era’ of quantum physics” as involving

“a unique cooperation of a whole generation of theoretical

physicists from many countries,” and “the combination of different

lines of approach and the introduction' of appropriate

mathematical methods.” Bohr’s words should serve as a warning

against attempts to oversimplify this history by making some

particular one of the lines of approach appear to be the principal

way in which quantum physics developed. Understandably, but

nonetheless unfortunately, many of the accounts of the period,

including some of the memoirs written by those who played leading

parts in it, suffer from this kind of oversimplification. The

picture of the development that one gets from such accounts,

interesting though they may be for their personal, first-hand details,

lacks just that variety and complexity peculiar to the prinNiels Bohr, who was in a unique position to know,

always insisted on the variety and complexity that characterize

the history of quantum mechanics. In his last published

work1 he described “the ‘heroic era’ of quantum physics” as involving

“a unique cooperation of a whole generation of theoretical

physicists from many countries,” and “the combination of different

lines of approach and the introduction' of appropriate

mathematical methods.” Bohr’s words should serve as a warning

against attempts to oversimplify this history by making some

particular one of the lines of approach appear to be the principal

way in which quantum physics developed. Understandably, but

nonetheless unfortunately, many of the accounts of the period,

including some of the memoirs written by those who played leading

parts in it, suffer from this kind of oversimplification. The

picture of the development that one gets from such accounts,

interesting though they may be for their personal, first-hand details,

lacks just that variety and complexity peculiar to the prinNiels Bohr, who was in a unique position to know,

always insisted on the variety and complexity that characterize

the history of quantum mechanics. In his last published

work1 he described “the ‘heroic era’ of quantum physics” as involving

“a unique cooperation of a whole generation of theoretical

physicists from many countries,” and “the combination of different

lines of approach and the introduction' of appropriate

mathematical methods.” Bohr’s words should serve as a warning

against attempts to oversimplify this history by making some

particular one of the lines of approach appear to be the principal

way in which quantum physics developed. Understandably, but

nonetheless unfortunately, many of the accounts of the period,

including some of the memoirs written by those who played leading

parts in it, suffer from this kind of oversimplification. The

picture of the development that one gets from such accounts,

interesting though they may be for their personal, first-hand details,

lacks just that variety and complexity peculiar to the prinNiels Bohr, who was in a unique position to know,

always insisted on the variety and complexity that characterize

the history of quantum mechanics.