Reborn and become a Great Scientist

Chapter 199 Chapter 147 National Hero Prague

In low-temperature physics, human exploration of temperature is basically a V-shaped process.

From dry ice to liquid oxygen, then to liquid nitrogen, to liquid hydrogen, the reason why the British have been at the forefront of low-temperature physics is mainly due to Sir Dewar, the former director of the David Faraday Laboratory.

It's a pity that due to various reasons, Dewar was preempted by others when he was just a step away from the lowest temperature.

At the same time before and after Dewar successfully liquefied hydrogen, which was previously thought to exist only in the universe, the "solar element" helium" found in the solar spectrum was also successfully found and separated from the earth.

As the last gas on Earth that has not yet been liquefied, liquid helium becomes the end of the cryogenic race.

Whoever can find liquid helium first will win the final victory.

Professor Onnes of Leiden University in the Netherlands became the one who had the last laugh.

He was the first to liquefy helium, and planned to continue to go to lower temperatures on the basis of liquid helium.

Then he accidentally discovered the superconductivity of mercury in his experiments.

As a result, human exploration of low-temperature physics has taken a turning point.

Before, everyone just wanted to compare to see who could achieve a lower temperature.

However, due to the limitations of equipment and other factors, and the lower the temperature, the more difficult it is to carry out the experiment. Most scientists began to change their thinking and search for materials with a higher critical temperature.

But it is different from the low temperature competition at the beginning, that time the goal was given, and it depends on who can liquefy the helium first.

But this time, it is purely a matter of luck. On the periodic table composed of so many elements, if you want to find the one with the highest superconducting critical temperature, then it is tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack.

When Onnes discovered the superconducting effect in 1911, he had already found mercury with a critical temperature of 4.2 Kelvin.

Two years later, in 1913, he found lead with a critical temperature of 7.2 Kelvin.

But more than ten years have passed since then, and the element with the highest superconducting critical temperature that humans can find is still the lead at 7.2 Kelvin.

However, in the past ten years, people's exploration of superconducting materials has always achieved results around the No. 80 element mercury and the No. 82 element lead. In the range of these main group elements, tin has been found one after another. , cadmium, zinc superconducting critical temperature.

Some common metals, such as gold, silver, copper, iron, sodium magnesium potassium calcium, etc., have never been able to find the superconducting effect in them under normal pressure.

Chen Muwu suggested to Yoshio Nishina to explore the superconducting effect of the thallium element sandwiched between mercury and lead, which is also very consistent with the logic that physicists are now exploring the critical temperature of superconductivity.

It may be because it is difficult to find materials that are not very common, and no one has set their sights on superconducting transition metals, so Chen Muwu was the first person to eat crabs, and asked Old Prague to help him find a bunch of transition metals. Metal back.

Although looking for ways from various support relationships, five of the six metal materials that were found through hard work were not found to have a superconducting effect at 3 Kelvin in an experimental environment, but Old Prague still liked it. tip of brow.

Because it is Dr. Chen who stayed in the David-Ferrari laboratory to do low-temperature superconductivity research.

Not to mention his various whimsical ideas in theoretical physics, and various weird theories, some of which have been verified by experiments, while some are still under debate.

It is only said that in the nearly three years since Dr. Chen came to the UK, as long as he participated in the physics experiment, no matter which branch of the experiment it is, it will definitely be successful, and there is no failure.

This research on the superconducting effect of materials is still the same.

Even though five of the six materials failed, Dr. Chen and his colleagues successfully discovered the existence of the superconducting effect on the only remaining niobium element.

Moreover, the superconducting critical temperature of niobium has successfully surpassed the 7.2 Kelvin of lead element, breaking the record that he had kept for more than ten years. The "high temperature" of 9.2 Kelvin is already very close to the 10 Kelvin mark.

Niobe, who had remained sad all this time, finally smiled this time.

Old Prague always felt that since Dr. Chen came to the David-Ferrari Laboratory, luck has returned here.

What he brought was not only enough funds to support the reconstruction of the laboratory, but also seemed to snatch the center of low-temperature physics research all over the world from the Dutch.

If Sir Dewar had had a few more years to live, he would be very happy to see the present situation.

Not long ago, Dr. Chen discovered hydrogen isotope hydrogen-2 in his laboratory, which shocked most physicists and chemists in the world.

It's just that the credit for that time was taken away by the group of people who rushed over from Cambridge.

Obviously it was discovered in the David-Ferrari laboratory, but at the meeting of the Royal Society, Sir Rutherford announced it to all the participants, and was confirmed and endorsed by Professor Aston, and the deuterium The discoverer, Dr. Chen, is also a well-known top student of Rusev.

When they got involved, many people who didn't know the truth thought that deuterium was discovered by Dr. Chen in the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge University.

"Collecting hundreds of flowers to turn them into honey, it will be sweet for whomever they work hard for." He has been busy in old Prague for so long, but the experimental results were snatched away by others, and it would be uncomfortable for anyone else.

Fortunately, this time, Rutherford and the others didn’t seem to pay much attention to the superconducting critical temperature of niobium. Old Bragg decided to make a big fuss on this topic and help David Ferrari’s laboratory to increase its popularity. This pulls in more sponsorships.

But what should be done?

Instead of racking your brains and trying to break your scalp, you might as well ask the smartest person in the entire laboratory.

So Old Prague used the pretext of inspecting work to walk into Chen Muwu's low temperature physics laboratory again.

Chen Muwu's life in this laboratory is very nourishing. After all, he has just received funding for a new renovation. The windows in David Faraday's laboratory are bright and clean, which is much better than the conference room where he curled up all day long. Children are not thinking about cards.

The discovery of niobium with a superconducting critical temperature as high as 9.2 Kelvin is also a matter worthy of a special book, so now they are writing a new paper.

At the same time, the variety of frozen fruits in the laboratory is much richer than before.

In addition to the liquid nitrogen frozen strawberries that Old Prague had tasted before, they recently developed liquid nitrogen frozen bananas and frozen pineapples with poached eggs.

The British mainland, which is in a temperate zone, cannot produce two tropical fruits, bananas and pineapples.

Although they can be bought occasionally on the market, those are imported fruits that the United Fruit Company has gone through untold hardships, harvested from plantations in South America, and then shipped to the UK by sea. The price is very high.

Although Chen Muwu is already rich, he will not spend a high price to be taken advantage of.

This is just because when he used liquid nitrogen to freeze strawberries before, he occasionally mentioned that bananas are more delicious when frozen in liquid nitrogen, and then Oppenheimer remembered it in his heart.

Oppenheimer, who was born as the son of a wealthy businessman, was definitely not short of money. He remembered what Chen Muwu said before, and went to the market to buy bananas and picked a few pineapples at the same time, just to thank the teacher for taking him with him, and found that deuterium and a higher superconducting critical temperature.

When the old Prague came in, Shi Ruwei and Oppenheimer were studying together how to write a new thesis, and Chen Muwu did not continue to be his shopkeeper, but also leaned over the table, typing on the typewriter. hit something.

"It was just a fluke this time, and I discovered the superconductivity of niobium with a critical temperature of 9.2 Kelvin.

"But even so, whether it is low-temperature physics or superconductivity, it is still an unknown sea for us, waiting for our generation to conquer.

"I am very much looking forward to the day when Nishina-kun will achieve results in superconductivity research. I hope that you and I will go hand in hand to benefit mankind and win glory for East Asia!"

After hitting the last exclamation point, Chen Muwu raised his head, pretending to have just noticed Old Prague who had come in earlier: "Sir, why are you here? Eat fruit, eat fruit!"

Owenheimer also quickly cooperated with his teacher, poured liquid nitrogen from the thermos, and poured it on the bananas that had been prepared earlier.

As people get older, it is inevitable that their teeth will not be very good.

Bananas that are so frozen that they are so hard that old Prague is discouraged.

He declined Dr. Chen's kindness, but directly stated his recent troubles to him.

"Dr. Chen, I would like to invite some reporters to interview you in the laboratory and help our David-Ferrari laboratory to promote it. Is it convenient for you? When do you have time recently?"

After listening to the old Prague's description of the problem, Chen Muwu was surprised that he had such a brain to think about marketing 100 years ago.

It's just that he walked the wrong way, so what's the point of interviewing himself?

It is true that Chen Muwu has made a lot of achievements, but he is still a Chinese in the final analysis.

Although those certain achievements cannot be denied, they are not likely to attract the approval of the British.

What's more, when the superconductivity of niobium was discovered this time, the name of the first author of the paper was not Chen Muwu, but Shi Ruwei.

He didn't want to take the credit for himself because he accepted the interview with the reporter called by Old Prague.

To make David Faraday Laboratories famous in the UK, it must capture the pride of the British people.

The gold standard has just been restored, and the Brits still think they are a kingdom of heaven.

But it is such a country in the sky, in the research of low-temperature physics, it was left behind by a small country on the European continent, the Netherlands, for 30 to [-] years.

How should Shuangwen be written?
First let the supporting characters jump in the face, suppress the protagonist, and let the readers' emotions be suppressed along with it.

Then the protagonist starts to pretend to be aggressive, so that the suppressed emotions of the readers can burst out in an instant, which can produce a huge sense of refreshment.

The Dutch and the British have fought several battles over the past few hundred years, which would have been a natural villain.

A little villain, who has been at the top of the low-temperature physics list for more than 30 years, and then under the leadership of the old Sir Prague, all colleagues in the David-Ferrari Laboratory realized their shame and bravely, and finally regained the top spot.

If such a report could be published in British newspapers, the people who read the news would definitely regard Old Prague and the David Ferrari Laboratory as a hero.

At that time, not to mention getting more sponsorship for the laboratory, Old Prague may be able to accept the canonization of the royal family, changing from a knight to a titled lord, just like his predecessors Rayleigh and Kelvin. glory!

After a hundred years, Prague Jr. can also inherit his title and become the second king.

"Dr. Chen, is it really possible to do what you said?"

Although Chen Muwu tried his best to fool him, Old Prague still couldn't make up his mind.

"Sir, please believe me. Letting me be interviewed will not only not help me, but may also cause some troubles.

"I have enough aura now, and the discovery of the superconductivity of niobium is already dispensable to me.

"And we have a saying in China, 'When things are extreme, they must be reversed', if I continue to expose myself to the public frequently, not only will I not gain more respect, but it may even arouse the resentment of others.

"Please don't give the example of Ramanujan. The reason why Ramanujan became a good story in the UK is because he unfortunately died young. Although he was famous, his achievements were not outstanding. .

"I hope you can do as I said, and accept interviews from reporters as the director of the laboratory. And I must emphasize that these recent achievements are all thanks to the entire staff of the laboratory. Physics has returned to the top of the world. As for my trivial achievements, let’s just mention it in one sentence, and it’s best not to even mention it.”

"But isn't it good to discredit the Dutch like this?"

Seeing Old Prague's indecision, Chen Muwu thought, didn't you curse those Dutch guys for selling me instruments and gas at a high price a few days ago?Why are you starting to worry about this again now?

"Sir, how can this be regarded as smearing? It is just a statement of the fact that the Dutch have indeed come ahead of the UK in the past few decades."

The discovery that the superconducting critical temperature of the metal niobium is close to ten Kelvin is not a major discovery in terms of physics.

The paper by Shi Ruwei, Chen Muwu and Oppenheimer was only a small splash in Leiden University and the University of Toronto, two universities that mainly study superconductivity.

Although niobium is the element with the highest critical temperature, this record will be easily broken once people's research target changes from simple substance to compound.

But this incident caused a huge repercussions in the British public opinion circles.

In their reports, those reporters also added a bleak description of Sir Dewar's evening scene.

He lost the patent lawsuit with Thermos about the thermos bottle. Although Thermos made a lot of money from the production of thermos bottles, as the discoverer of the Dewar bottle insulation system, Dewar failed to get a penny of patents. fee.

He bid farewell to low-temperature physics research because he had no money, and finally died in depression.

This description has successfully aroused people's empathy. After reading this, many readers have cursed this German company for being too bad.

Overnight, Old Prague, who led the David Faraday Laboratory back to the top of the world, became a British national hero.

Even with regard to low-temperature physics, the heat of superconductivity has also risen accordingly, no less than Chen Muwu's quantum mechanics, and Einstein's theory of relativity.

(End of this chapter)