Enrico Fermi: The Obedient Genius (springer Biographies)
by Giuseppe Bruzzaniti /
2016 / English / PDF
6.2 MB Download
This biography explores the life and career of the Italian
physicist Enrico Fermi, which is also the story of thirty years
that transformed physics and forever changed our understanding
of matter and the universe: nuclear physics and elementary
particle physics were born, nuclear fission was discovered, the
Manhattan Project was developed, the atomic bombs were dropped,
and the era of “big science” began.
This biography explores the life and career of the Italian
physicist Enrico Fermi, which is also the story of thirty years
that transformed physics and forever changed our understanding
of matter and the universe: nuclear physics and elementary
particle physics were born, nuclear fission was discovered, the
Manhattan Project was developed, the atomic bombs were dropped,
and the era of “big science” began.
It would be impossible to capture the full essence of this
revolutionary period without first understanding Fermi, without
whom it would not have been possible.
It would be impossible to capture the full essence of this
revolutionary period without first understanding Fermi, without
whom it would not have been possible.
Enrico Fermi: The Obedient Genius attempts to shed light on all
aspects of Fermi’s life - his work, motivation, influences,
achievements, and personal thoughts - beginning with the
publication of his first paper in 1921 through his death in
1954. During this time, Fermi demonstrated that he was indeed
following in the footsteps of Galileo, excelling in his work
both theoretically and experimentally by deepening our
understanding of the Pauli exclusion principle, winning the
Nobel Prize for his discovery of the fundamental properties of
slow neutrons, developing the theory of beta decay, building
the first nuclear reactor, and playing a central role in the
development of the atomic bomb. Interwoven with this
fascinating story, the book details the major developments in
physics and provides the necessary background material to fully
appreciate the dramatic changes that were taking place.
Enrico Fermi: The Obedient Genius attempts to shed light on all
aspects of Fermi’s life - his work, motivation, influences,
achievements, and personal thoughts - beginning with the
publication of his first paper in 1921 through his death in
1954. During this time, Fermi demonstrated that he was indeed
following in the footsteps of Galileo, excelling in his work
both theoretically and experimentally by deepening our
understanding of the Pauli exclusion principle, winning the
Nobel Prize for his discovery of the fundamental properties of
slow neutrons, developing the theory of beta decay, building
the first nuclear reactor, and playing a central role in the
development of the atomic bomb. Interwoven with this
fascinating story, the book details the major developments in
physics and provides the necessary background material to fully
appreciate the dramatic changes that were taking place.
Also included are appendices that provide a timeline of Fermi’s
life, several primary source documents from the period, and an
extensive bibliography. This book will enlighten anyone
interested in Fermi’s work or the scientific events that led to
the physics revolution of the first half of the twentieth
century.
Also included are appendices that provide a timeline of Fermi’s
life, several primary source documents from the period, and an
extensive bibliography. This book will enlighten anyone
interested in Fermi’s work or the scientific events that led to
the physics revolution of the first half of the twentieth
century.