Cigar Science with Rob III: How a bad cigar helped physics research.

[bobbyg29-cl]

A little detour from the other topics…

This is a story I have been using for awhile to illustrate how there is a lot of luck involved in good science. I thought I would share it here because it also happens to show, despite what all the health groups are telling us, smoking a cigar can have great benefits. Hope you enjoy!

It is Frankfurt Germany, 1922. Physicists Otto Stern and Walther Gerlach are trying to prove a bold new theory of quantum physics by splitting a beam of silver atoms. After repeated experiments they can not get it to work because the atoms are too difficult to see. That is until the first ever “physicists herf”. Otto Stern described the events:

“…But he could see no trace of the silver atom beam and handed the flange to me. With Gerlach looking over my shoulder as I peered closely at the plate, we were surprised to see gradually emerge the trace of a beam…Finally we realized what had happened. I was then the equivalent of an assistant professor. My salary was too low to afford good cigars, so I smoked bad cigars. These had a lot of sulfur in them, so my breath on the plate turned the silver into silver sulfide, which is jet black, so easily visible. It was like developing a photographic film”.


*Notice the cigar in Stern’s hand while he is working.

This is now recognized as one of the most important experiments in physics:
“The demonstration of space quantization, carried out in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1922 by Otto Stern and Walther Gerlach, ranks among the dozen or so canonical experiments that ushered in the heroic age of quantum physics. Perhaps no other experiment is so often cited for elegant conceptual simplicity. Yet even among atomic physicist, very few today are aware of the historical particulars that enhance the drama of the story and the abiding lessons it offers. Among the particulars are a warm bed, a bad cigar and an uncanny conspiracy of Nature that rewarded Stern and Gerlach.”

So it goes to show that good things are bound to happen when you are smoking a cigar 

Cheers!

Rob

Source: “Stern and Gerlach: How a bad cigar helped reorient atomic physics” American Institute of Physics, 2003.
*I have a copy of this article if anyone is interested. It is extremely technical. The physics are way over my head!

[kass]

Great story! Thanks.

[cigar_joel-cl]

My God...What can't cigar do????? That is a really neat write up!

Joel

[Cigarista-cl]

I'm a real fan of your sciene postings, Rob. Thanks.

[bobbyg29-cl]

Originally Posted by Cigarista

I'm a real fan of your sciene postings, Rob. Thanks.

Thanks Mike. I am having a lot of fun doing them...and at least I am finally putting my education to some good use

[Labman-cl]

Cigars are awesome!

[g8trbone]

Originally Posted by bobbyg29

Thanks Mike. I am having a lot of fun doing them...and at least I am finally putting my education to some good use

I wish I could do the same. Anyone need advice on musical instruments?

Thanks Rob!!! These are great little bits of knowledge.

[genettim]

very good stuff! when's the next "lesson"?

[LouZava]

Good stuff, thanks.

[BigBuddha76]

Originally Posted by g8trbone

I wish I could do the same. Anyone need advice on musical instruments?

Thanks Rob!!! These are great little bits of knowledge.

I'm going to start building cigar box guitars...I'll rack your brain then

[BigBuddha76]

Originally Posted by cigar_joel

My God...What can't cigar do????? That is a really neat write up!

Joel

you are right, from Lewinsky to Stern and Gerlach to Freud...

Cigars can do anything

[countnikon]

Thats a cool story.

[Research-Colin-cl]

That gives me inspiration. I do most of my work with a cigar in hand so maybe I'll smoke my way into something meaningful... doubt it. haha but at least I'll enjoy my time working.

[mills]

I'll try to read the article. I just finished pchem II, and the Stern-Gerlach experiment is one of the things we learned about. It has to do with the concept of intrinsic spin, kind of like the earth rotating around its axis.

[bobbyg29-cl]

Originally Posted by mills

I'll try to read the article. I just finished pchem II, and the Stern-Gerlach experiment is one of the things we learned about. It has to do with the concept of intrinsic spin, kind of like the earth rotating around its axis.

Sure thing Matthew..the file is too big to upload so PM me your email address and I will send it to you.

Rob