Great Physicists

Science & Technology Trivia
1

Background info: the following quote is from a major physics paper published before the era of Quantum Mechanics. It was the first time the concept of “wave” was applied to the concept of “light.”

[We can scarceley avoid the conclusion that]light consists of the transverse undulations of the same medium which is the cause of electric and magnetic phenomena.

The first to answer all or any combination or any one of the following earns points as described below:

  1. The Author (10 points)

  2. The title of the paper (15 points)

  3. The year it was published (20 points)

  4. Where it was originally published (25 points)

I’ve changed my mind and made the time period for submitting answers open-ended. Guesses must be from memory, but you have as many tries as you wish. Honor system, no googling or otherwise searching the internet. Game on!

2

And the rules were:

  1. Only from memory

  2. How many guesses (1)?

3

Right, only from memory, but as many guesses as you want.

4

As author, Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein.

5

Nope.

6

Let me add that it was the first time the concept of “waves” was applied to “light.”

7

Let me add that it was the first time the concept of “waves” was applied to “light.”

Ok, was it an English scientist, Thompson or something like that? Around 1840 or so?

8

Not Thompson, not 1840.

9

Is it Faraday?

10

Nope.

11

Nope.

OK, was it Galileo? Didn’t he write a paper on the properties of water and refraction?

12

Hm, good guess, but no.

13

Id guess Maxwell, although the quote says ‘we’ implying more than one author. I dont have a clue about the rest so I’ll say the ‘treastise on electricity and magneticism’ which is the only work of his I know.

14

I was thinking Maxwell too, but I think that he would be too late of a time period to be the first to suggest wave properties.

15

10 points to Hal for guessing the author.

16

I was thinking Maxwell too, but I think that he would be too late of a time period to be the first to suggest wave properties.

Long shot…G. Bruno?

17

I will be posting a breif writeup tomorrow afternoon with all the answers. In the meantime, points are still in play!

18

I will be posting a breif writeup tomorrow afternoon with all the answers.

Well of course, now that I feel like a school boy at lessons! :smiley:

19

Damn… should of went with my “gut feeling” :smiley:

20

Well of course, now that I feel like a school boy at lessons!  :smiley:

Hah!