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BOHR, Niels. On the Quantum Theory of Line-Spectra. Offprint from: D. Kgl. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skrifter, Naturvidensk. og Mathem, 8, Raekke, IV.1. Copenhagen: Bianco Lunos, 1918 and 1922.
3 parts, 4o. Original printed wrappers (light darkening to edges, spine of part II repaired); black morocco folding case. Provenance: Peter Zeeman (presentation inscription by Bohr on front wrappers of parts I and III, Zeeman's signature on part II).
FIRST EDITION, OFFPRINT ISSUE, PRESENTATION COPIES inscribed by Bohr on front wrapper of part I: "Professor P. Zeeman with the authors complements" and part II "Professor P. Zeeman with the authors kindest regards." Bohr's revolutionary atomic theory, based on Planck's quantum theory, laid an entirely new foundation for our understanding of the processes within the world of matter. Bohr was not a prolific author-the process of writing was for him a difficult and painful one-and his Quantum Theory of Line Spectra represents perhaps his most sustained effort to set forth all of the aspects of his atomic theory. "By 1918 Bohr had visualized, at least in outline, the whole theory of atomic phenomena... He at once started writing up [in the present paper] a synthetic exposition of his arguments and of all the evidence upon which they could have any bearing; in testing how well he could summarize what was known, he found occasion to check the soundness of his ideas and to improve their formulation. In the present case, however, he could hardly keep pace with the growth of the subject; the paper he had in mind at the beginning developed into a four-part treatise, publication of which dragged over four years without being completed; the first three parts appeared between 1918 and 1920, and the fourth, unfortunately, was never published" (DSB).
Bohr presented this copy of his paper to Nobel laureate Pieter Zeeman, who had received the Nobel Prize in physics in 1902 for his discovery of the Zeeman effect. Bohr's paper was certainly of great interest to Zeeman, since Bohr's atomic theory allowed for a quantum-theoretical interpretation of the Zeeman effect. Shortly after the publication of the third part of Bohr's paper, Zeeman began a series of experiments involving precision measurements of the Zeeman effect. (3)
3 parts, 4
FIRST EDITION, OFFPRINT ISSUE, PRESENTATION COPIES inscribed by Bohr on front wrapper of part I: "Professor P. Zeeman with the authors complements" and part II "Professor P. Zeeman with the authors kindest regards." Bohr's revolutionary atomic theory, based on Planck's quantum theory, laid an entirely new foundation for our understanding of the processes within the world of matter. Bohr was not a prolific author-the process of writing was for him a difficult and painful one-and his Quantum Theory of Line Spectra represents perhaps his most sustained effort to set forth all of the aspects of his atomic theory. "By 1918 Bohr had visualized, at least in outline, the whole theory of atomic phenomena... He at once started writing up [in the present paper] a synthetic exposition of his arguments and of all the evidence upon which they could have any bearing; in testing how well he could summarize what was known, he found occasion to check the soundness of his ideas and to improve their formulation. In the present case, however, he could hardly keep pace with the growth of the subject; the paper he had in mind at the beginning developed into a four-part treatise, publication of which dragged over four years without being completed; the first three parts appeared between 1918 and 1920, and the fourth, unfortunately, was never published" (DSB).
Bohr presented this copy of his paper to Nobel laureate Pieter Zeeman, who had received the Nobel Prize in physics in 1902 for his discovery of the Zeeman effect. Bohr's paper was certainly of great interest to Zeeman, since Bohr's atomic theory allowed for a quantum-theoretical interpretation of the Zeeman effect. Shortly after the publication of the third part of Bohr's paper, Zeeman began a series of experiments involving precision measurements of the Zeeman effect. (3)