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30-Second Physics
Brian Clegg (Editor)
2017 Ivy Press
ISBN 978-1-78340-514-6
160 pages. Soft Cover.
Two pages per topic, with one being an illustration.
Purchasing Details.
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My Comments on This Book
This book has 2 pages on each of 60 topics grouped into 7 categories. There are two pages per topic, one an artist's
illustration of the topic. Each category has a 2 page profile of an important physicist
Errors Noted.
p130
1896 Rutherford won a scholarship to Nelson College, not “Nelson Collegiate School”.
1892 Rutherford attended Canterbury College in Christchurch, not “Christchurch College, Canterbury”.
1893 Rutherford obtains an MA with double first-class honours in mathematics and physical science. His scholarship was in mathematics.
1894 Exhibition Scholarship. Should read “1895 Awarded an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship which he took to Cambridge
University in England.” He could take up the scholarship anywhere in the world. One nomination was offered to New Zealand
every second year. The 1894 nomination was held back a year from 1893 and was awarded in 1895 after the examiners in England
had reported back to UNZ on the quality of the 2 candidates.
1908 Rutherford was appointed to Manchester in 1907.
1911 Pendants have been getting stuck into me for saying “nitrogen to oxygen”. It is correct but “nitrogen
to hydrogen” is safer as the remainder was not identified as oxygen until some years later.
1937 Rutherford was born on 30/8/1871 and died on 19/10/1937 so was 66 when he died.
p131
Rutherford's father was a skilled man. He was a child aged 5 (born 24/11/1838) when he arrived in New Zealand (29/3/1843).
When grown up he was a wheelwright. (Occupation on Marriage Certificate.)
Rutherford's mother was a girl aged 13 (born 25/10/1842) when she arrived in New Zealand (?/12/1855). She became an assistant
school teacher in 1862, taking over from her pregnant mother.
“Even as a child he (Rutherford) showed exceptional academic ability,” No. We tend to project Ern’s brilliance as a
research scientist back into his regular childhood. He was good but not exceptional. He took two goes at each of the three
scholarships he won in New Zealand.
Rutherford attended Nelson College, not Nelson Collegiate School.
Rutherford attended Canterbury College, in Christchurch, not Christchurch College. There is a school in Christchurch
called Christ’s College.
He obtained 3 degree’s from there, BA, MA(with double honours in Mathematics and in Physics), BSc (in Chemistry and Geology).
He later obtained a DSc (1901) and was awarded an honorary DSc (1931).
There was only one 1851 Scholarship nomination awarded to New Zealand every second year. There had been one previous holder,
David Jackson in 1891 (taken in 1892). The 1893 award was luckily deferred for a year, until 1894.
The scholarships wasn’t limited to only Cambridge, it could be held anywhere in the world. (Change “to study”
to “which he took”.
Rutherford worked on two topics before JJ Thomson invited him to join his (JJ's) researches. Alter “and was able to identify
“alpha” and “beta” emission” to read “and was able to identify and name “alpha”
and “beta” emissions.
After 3 years at Cambridge, Rutherford went to McGill in 1898, not after 4 years.
Rutherford went to Manchester in 1907, not 1908.
“dying peacefully” He died 4 days after a hernia operation. His bowel never worked again. Delete “peacefully”.
Contents
According to the Index Rutherford features on p88, p132-133. p88 is about the Weak Nuclear Force and Rutherford's name is
not mentioned on this page. p132-133, on Machines, also doesn't mention Rutherford.
Each of the six sections has one person profiled over 2 pages and Rutherford (p130-131) is profiled in the Energy section.
He is also mentioned on p10 via a quote. Quotes should be taken in context, see this one at www.rutherford.org.nz under
Miscellaneous - Rutherford Quotes - Putdowns.
Reviews
Not known at this stage.
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