Quotes for the Week: Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937)

Ernest Rutherford was a nuclear physicist from New Zealand. He reportedly discovered the alpha, beta, and gamma emissions during radioactive decay.

He was one of the pioneers of the orbital theory that gave details about the structure of the atom. He achieved this in his discovery of Rutherford scattering off the nucleus with the gold foil experiment.

Ernest Rutherford. Img: Wikimedia

Here are some of his quotes while he was alive:

“All science is either physics or stamp collecting.”

“Now I know what the atom looks like.”

“If your experiment needs statistics, you ought to have done a better experiment.”

“Of all created comforts, God is the lender; you are the borrower, not the owner.”

“We’ve got no money, so we’ve got to think.”

“An alleged scientific discovery has no merit unless it can be explained to a barmaid.”

“When we have found how the nucleus of atoms is built up, we shall have found the greatest secret of all – except life.”

“Radioactivity is shown to be accompanied by chemical changes in which new types of matter are being continually produced. …The conclusion is drawn that these chemical changes must be sub-atomic in character.”

“I have to keep going, as there are always people on my track. I have to publish my present work as rapidly as possible in order to keep in the race. The best sprinters in this road of investigation are Becquerel and the Curies…”

Have a great week everyone.

Posted in people, quotes