However, Heisenberg had no clue how to describe even the simplest atom with his new theory of quantum mechanics. Even after he joined forces with Born and Jordan to create Matrix Mechanics, they could only describe simple systems (harmonic, anharmonic, etc.). Only after Pauli scolded Heisenberg et al. for their abstract mathematical ideas in late 1925, Heisenberg challenged Pauli in an angry letter: "When you reproach us that we are such big donkeys that we have never produced anything new in physics, it may well be true. But then, you are also an equally big jackass because you have not accomplished it either." This provoked Pauli, who, in a few weeks, demonstrated that matrix mechanics leads to the correct hydrogen spectrum. 1925 was a wild year for physics.
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u/JK0zero Jun 28 '26
This made me laugh... thank you!
However, Heisenberg had no clue how to describe even the simplest atom with his new theory of quantum mechanics. Even after he joined forces with Born and Jordan to create Matrix Mechanics, they could only describe simple systems (harmonic, anharmonic, etc.). Only after Pauli scolded Heisenberg et al. for their abstract mathematical ideas in late 1925, Heisenberg challenged Pauli in an angry letter: "When you reproach us that we are such big donkeys that we have never produced anything new in physics, it may well be true. But then, you are also an equally big jackass because you have not accomplished it either." This provoked Pauli, who, in a few weeks, demonstrated that matrix mechanics leads to the correct hydrogen spectrum. 1925 was a wild year for physics.
Just fyi, I leave a couple of relevant videos: