Reborn and become a Great Scientist

Chapter 292 Acting Director of Laboratory 31

Finally, finally.

It has taken such a long time, from conception to lobbying for funds, from design drawings to customization to the factory, to finally being assembled in Cambridgeshire and successfully accepted and put into use.

The birth process of this first particle accelerator at Cambridge University and the first in the world was really ill-fated, and it took a long time to develop it from scratch.

I had just returned to Cambridge University after returning home to visit my relatives. On the morning when I got off the train, before I could even put my luggage back into Trinity College, my impatient teacher Rutherford hurriedly pulled me from the train platform to the particles. The room where the accelerator is located witnessed the completion of the construction of the particle accelerator.

From that day on, Chen Muwu knew that it was only a matter of time before this experiment of bombarding lithium atoms with a proton beam would succeed.

After all, we have the best experimental equipment in the world, complete theoretical support, and the two raw materials required for the experiment, no matter how difficult it is, are already ready.

More importantly, one of the members of the experimental team had completed this experiment on his own in his previous life, and decades later he won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his achievements in this experiment.

The right time, the right place, the right people, and all the conditions are sufficient. If he still fails to produce the desired experimental results, Chen Muwu will really wonder whether his time travel has triggered the butterfly effect again, or whether he has traveled to a physical world. A new world with completely different rules from the previous life?
Fortunately, Chen Muwu was just unfounded, and he did not need to self-examine and have self-doubt at all.

After returning to the University of Cambridge, it didn't take long for Cockcroft to return to the Cavendish Laboratory from outside and inform Chen Muwu of the experimental results. They successfully detected a different substance in the experimental product. The new substance of the incident proton is still being calculated, and it is estimated that it will not take long to know what this new substance is.

What is it?Of course it’s the alpha particle, which is the helium nucleus!
Congrats, congratulations.

The Cavendish Laboratory has added another major achievement of Nobel Prize level in physics, and this time Chen Muwu deliberately did not get too involved.

He was only involved in the principle design of the generator and the donation of funds in the early stages of the particle accelerator project.

From the start of the project to the design and construction, Chen Muwu has been in a state of semi-retirement, and he has become a hands-off shopkeeper.

When he returned to China in the later period, Rutherford, who hoped that the particle accelerator would be completed as soon as possible, would go to Zhao Zhongyao Cockcroft every now and then to inspect the work. He was even more concerned about the work here than Chen Muwu.

The reason why Chen Muwu did this was because there were too many things to do, and the particle accelerator required theory and technology, which was the last thing he needed to worry about.

On the other hand, he is also deliberately delegating power, and wants to see if the probability of winning the Nobel Prize in this project without his participation will be slightly higher than with his participation.

In his 20s, at a young age, he won another Nobel Prize within a few years. This matter should not be very realistic.

The Nobel Prize is not as merit-based as the Olympic gold medal. The jury also wants to save face!
If Chen Muwu is allowed to take away a prize from here every now and then, then where is the authority of the Nobel Prize?
Chen Muwu was very happy when Cockcroft came to tell him the good news, and immediately wanted to follow him back to the ion accelerator to see the results of their experiments.

But while he was happy, Chen Muwu thought of another thing.

"John, have you notified Director Rutherford?"

Cockcroft shook his head: "Dr. Chen, before I could, I came to you as soon as the results of the experiment came out."

How does this work?
Although the money to build the particle accelerator was actually obtained by "begging" from Chen Muwu to the second prince, the Duke of York, to the Kelvin Foundation of the Royal Society, and to the Benemen Chemical Industry Company, the real controller of this huge sum of money is still Teacher Rutherford, his director is also the largest official in the entire Cavendish Laboratory.

Chen Muwu respected Rutherford very much, and he was not so arrogant as Nian Gengyao, the general of the Northwest, who let his subordinates "only know the emperor's orders but not the emperor."

Rutherford had always been thinking about the particle accelerator. If he achieved the first result but failed to notify his teacher immediately, Chen Muwu felt that this was completely offending.

"Then let's notify Director Rutherford first, and then we'll go to your place to see the final results of the experiment."

After saying that, Chen Muwu stood up from his seat, took Cockcroft to the door of Rutherford's office, and knocked on the door.

Rutherford was naturally very happy to learn that an experiment conducted on the particle accelerator that had been busy for nearly a year was successfully completed.

His first reaction was similar to Chen Muwu's. He also stood up from his chair and wanted to go to the laboratory to see with his own eyes.

Unlike Chen Muwu, Rutherford has no immediate boss and can decide where he wants to go.

On the way to the particle accelerator laboratory on foot, Rutherford kept praising Chen Muwu for his great contribution to the Cavendish Laboratory this time.

——Even though he didn’t interfere much in this matter.

Cockcroft, who was next to him, had no objection to the director's remarks. He also felt in his heart that if the particle accelerator could be successfully built, the person who made the greatest contribution was not Zhao Zhongyao or himself, but the person walking next to Rutherford. Chen Muwu.

If he hadn't been inspired by Lord Kelvin's dripping generator and designed such a device, even if ten of himself appeared out of thin air in the world and made them all want to break their heads, they still wouldn't be able to come up with such a miracle.

When people sit at home, credit comes from heaven, which makes Xiao Chen strangely embarrassed.

When a group of three people came to the laboratory, Zhao Zhongyao was sorting out the experimental data that had just ended.

Particle accelerators are the most advanced technology in the world, but to detect the final product of proton bombardment of lithium atoms, we still have to use the most primitive method, which is to use a cloud chamber to take photos.

Even though Chen Muwu is very prominent at the University of Cambridge, the Cavendish Laboratory has always been a whole.

The cloud chamber was invented by Professor Wilson in the laboratory and improved by Chen Muwu's good friend Blackett.

With Blackett's improved version, the cloud chamber can take four to five photos per minute.

Two types of particle trajectories appeared on the photo of the cloud chamber. Looking at this photo, Chen Muwu was very clear.

When he was helping Blackett look at the cloud chamber photos, he determined that a new isotope, oxygen-17, was produced in his nuclear reaction.

Now it is possible to determine at a glance which protons in the photo are emitted directly without colliding with the lithium atoms on the target, and which ones are the "new matter" produced after the collision between the target and the lithium atom.

Chen Muwu pointed out the new short and thick trajectory to everyone present, mainly Rutherford.

"Chen, you said this was the collision of protons and lithium atoms, producing something new. Could it be that the electrically neutral particles in the nucleus were ejected?"

Rutherford was the most excited of the four people in the lab.

"Uh, teacher, I think it's not. If it is a neutral, uh, electrically neutral particle, its mass should be about the same as a proton, and looking at the trajectory, it is thicker. The new substance produced, I don't think it is. That's an electrically neutral particle, but, uh, like an alpha particle.

“I think we should add a magnetic field to this cloud chamber next, look at the deflection trajectory of the new material in the magnetic field, and see what it is.

"There is another thing, which is to calculate the energy of the proton and the energy of this new substance. Since a new substance has been produced, we can also take the opportunity to verify Einstein's mass-energy equation Is it correct?" After Chen Muwu's instructions, Zhao Zhongyao and Cockcroft began to put on protective clothing again to study the matter of adding a magnetic field to the cloud chamber.

The teacher beside him, Rutherford, suddenly transformed into "Chen Chui": "Chen, the particle accelerator is such an amazing invention. It can verify two theories with just one experiment!"

"The main reason is that Teacher, you have a sharp vision and agreed to allocate funds for me to build a particle accelerator, so today's results are achieved."

When it comes to business talk, it's as if you don't know who the other is.

"It doesn't have to be like this, Chen. If you hadn't said you wanted to build a motor, and came to me with the model and let me see the results, I don't think I would have had the courage to agree to it. Next, you plan to do it again Do something?"

The questions raised by Rutherford were so broad that Chen Muwu couldn't figure out what he was asking for a while.

"Next? If conditions permit and the time is right, I would like to build a new particle accelerator."

"A new one? Why, do you dislike this million-volt generator because the voltage is not high enough? That's right. After all, when this one was built, it was just the first one built for testing. A prototype machine. But how much more money will it cost to increase the voltage? I have to remind you that it is the end of the year and there is not much funding left in the laboratory."

Chen Muwu has become accustomed to Rutherford using funds to complain about poverty.

The Cavendish Laboratory's funding has not increased for so many years, so it doesn't think about it for a while. Is it my own problem?
He felt that the teacher might have misunderstood what he meant. A million-volt generator was enough for now, but what Chen Muwu wanted was actually a more expensive cyclotron.

"Chen, how about we use this accelerator to try other metals first? We've tried lithium, but what about beryllium? What about boron?"

Oh, it turns out that it was not the teacher who misunderstood me, but myself who misunderstood the teacher.

Rutherford's question was to talk about what experiments he planned to continue using the particle accelerator, not to ask what kind of new accelerator he would build next.

"Do it, of course you have to do it. Only by doing it all can you verify the reliability of the mass-energy equation! It's just changing the target from lithium to other materials. It's not too difficult."

"That's fine, I'm just saying, let's fully exploit the potential of the machine in front of us first, and then we can build a new one.

"You have to worry more about it next. After more than three years in the laboratory, you should grow into an independent adult."

Rutherford said earnestly.

Looking at the teacher's tone and expression, Chen Muwu always felt that he was asking for help.

This place was not Baidi City. He couldn't understand why Rutherford suddenly became like this after seeing the experimental results.

Unexpectedly, the teacher hadn't finished what he said, and he was still chattering next to him: "By the way, Chen, you should be able to attend the meeting in Italy next year, right?"

"Yes, teacher."

"That's good. Remember to promote this big machine of yours between meetings and try to sell a few more units. Our laboratory can also make a small profit from this."

"Well, I will definitely... But, teacher, won't you go to the meeting? Then we will publicize it together. With your status, what you say will be more convincing."

"You're right, I'm not going to that meeting."

"Teacher, are you also dissatisfied with the Italian Prime Minister and his way of governing?"

Well, why do you say so?
Rutherford shook his head: "That's not the reason. I've never been very interested in politics. After Christmas this year, I plan to take a long trip and take Mary home like you did."

"Go home? Oh! You mean you're going back to New Zealand?"

When he first heard the news, Chen Muwu was still a little confused. Isn't Rutherford's home in Cambridge County?
But with the addition of "traveling far away" and "like you", he roughly understood what the teacher meant and why he had to say such a long paragraph just now.

In a certain sense, it can be regarded as a kind of orphan, but it is not Rutherford's child who is entrusted, but the laboratory under him.

"Yes, back to New Zealand. While I'm back, I want you to be in charge of running the Cavendish Laboratory."

"Me? No, no, no," Chen Muwu quickly shook his head and refused, "I don't think I have that ability. Isn't there Mr. Chadwick? There are so many professors older than me in the laboratory, and I can't even place them. Come to me!”

"Chen, it's not easy. You still retain the same humility as when you and I first met. It's not just a whim. It was a decision that we all studied and made together. I have long felt that you are suitable for this job." Don’t refuse me this job.”

People don’t know, they can’t predict.

You said I am a...

If he had known that Rutherford was going back to New Zealand and would be gone for at least half a year, Chen Muwu would have wanted to follow his teacher like Oppenheimer, instead of staying in Cambridge to manage the Cavendish Laboratory.

What he most wanted to do was to visit Adelaide, Australia, halfway there to see the distribution of mining there, especially the situation of uranium mines.

But now Rutherford has already planned his itinerary. He is also determined to attend the Como Conference in Italy and go to Rome to meet the Pope. He can only regret missing it this time.

He still had to follow the original plan and wait for Wegener to reply to his letter and come to Cambridge before traveling with the geologist.

Rutherford had long wanted to go back to New Zealand when he was young and his boss returned home. This time he just accepted an invitation from the country.

Regarding who should temporarily manage the Cavendish Laboratory, he exchanged opinions with Chadwick and said that he wanted Chen Muwu to sit in his position for half a year so that the school could see the abilities he displayed here. Chen Muwu can find a teaching position at Cambridge University.

Although his application and that of his teacher Thomson Sr. were repeatedly rejected by the school review committee, Rutherford never forgot that Chen Muwu graduated two or three years ago, and the title following his last name was still Doctor.

It’s all thanks to Dr. Chen’s focus on academics rather than fame and fortune. If it had been anyone else, he would have been poached to the other side of the ocean by the Americans with money.

Chadwick had no problem with Rutherford's decision.

Rutherford is just gone but not dead. For more than half a year, there is no need to fight for anything.

Besides, Dr. Chen is quite a nice person, but Oppenheimer next to him is a bit annoying.

(End of this chapter)