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.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Rutherford observes that radioactivity involves continuous creation of new matter, implying these changes occur at a scale smaller than atoms.
- In plain terms
- Radioactivity creates new matter through changes smaller than atoms.
- What can you take from it?
- Scientific conclusions about matter must account for sub-atomic processes.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do sub-atomic changes manifest visually?
- What defines a change in matter?
Another view
The quote simplifies complex nuclear physics into a general observation.
More from Ernest Rutherford
All science is either physics or stamp collecting.
Permalink to quote #2 I came into the room which was half-dark and presently spotted Lord Kelvin in the audience, and realised that I was in for trouble at the last part of my speec…
Permalink to quote #3 If you can't explain your physics to a barmaid it is probably not very good physics.
Permalink to quote #4
Related quotes
There are the rushing waves... mountains of molecules, each stupidly minding its own business... trillions apart ...yet forming white surf in unison. Ages on a…
Richard FeynmanRichard Feynman quote #46 Although the problem of transmuting chemical elements into each other is much older than a satisfactory definition of the very concept of chemical element, it …
Enrico FermiEnrico Fermi quote #1 Principles You can't say A is made of B or vice versa. All mass is interaction.
Richard FeynmanRichard Feynman quote #2