Ronald Wilfried Gurney
Encyclopedia
Ronald Wilfred Gurney was a British theoretical physicist and research pupil of William Lawrence Bragg
at the Victoria University of Manchester
during the 1920s and 30s, Bristol University during the 1930s and later in the USA where he died.
from 1926-28 he discovered alpha decay
via quantum tunnelling
together with Edward Condon
and independently of George Gamov. In the early 1900s, radioactive materials were known to have characteristic exponential decay rates or half lives. At the same time, radiation emissions were known to have certain characteristic energies. By 1928, Gamov had solved the theory of the alpha decay
of a nucleus via quantum tunnelling and the problem was also solved independently by Gurney and Condon.
Gurney and Condon, did not, however, produce the quantitative results achieved by Gamow in his work.
William Lawrence Bragg
Sir William Lawrence Bragg CH OBE MC FRS was an Australian-born British physicist and X-ray crystallographer, discoverer of the Bragg law of X-ray diffraction, which is basic for the determination of crystal structure. He was joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915. He was knighted...
at the Victoria University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
during the 1920s and 30s, Bristol University during the 1930s and later in the USA where he died.
Radioactive decay processes
Whilst at the Palmer Physical Laboratory at PrincetonPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
from 1926-28 he discovered alpha decay
Alpha decay
Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle and thereby transforms into an atom with a mass number 4 less and atomic number 2 less...
via quantum tunnelling
Quantum tunnelling
Quantum tunnelling refers to the quantum mechanical phenomenon where a particle tunnels through a barrier that it classically could not surmount. This plays an essential role in several physical phenomena, such as the nuclear fusion that occurs in main sequence stars like the sun, and has important...
together with Edward Condon
Edward Condon
Edward Uhler Condon was a distinguished American nuclear physicist, a pioneer in quantum mechanics, and a participant in the development of radar and nuclear weapons during World War II.-Early life and career:...
and independently of George Gamov. In the early 1900s, radioactive materials were known to have characteristic exponential decay rates or half lives. At the same time, radiation emissions were known to have certain characteristic energies. By 1928, Gamov had solved the theory of the alpha decay
Alpha decay
Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle and thereby transforms into an atom with a mass number 4 less and atomic number 2 less...
of a nucleus via quantum tunnelling and the problem was also solved independently by Gurney and Condon.
Gurney and Condon, did not, however, produce the quantitative results achieved by Gamow in his work.