A Biographical Presentation

By Stephen Cole

Wolfgang Pauli

Some Contributions

The Exclusion PrincipleThe NeutrinoPauli EquationSpin Statistics Theorem

Pauli, Nobel Prize portrait

Image: "Wolfgang Pauli - Biography". Nobelprize.org. 5 May 2013 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1945/pauli-bio.html

Early Life

Born in 1900 in AustriaMentored by Ernst Mach

“anti-metaphysical baptism”

University of HamburgExceptional skill in

mathematics

Young Pauli

Image: “Wolfgang Pauli young.” Fermilab. www.fnal.gov.

The Exclusion Principle (1924)Stern-Gerlach Experiment

Found an unexpected behavior of electronsParticles split into upper and lower path

Image: Knott, Theresa. “Stern-Gerlach Experiment.” Wikipedia Commons.

The Exclusion Principle (1924)All electrons have unique quantum number

sets, so they cannot all fall to ground state“Two-valuedness not describable classically”

Another quantum number, later called “spin”Electrons could now be grouped into orbitals

to explain their behaviorLed to Hund’s rule and the Aufbau principle,

essential to chemistry

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zürich

Succeeded Peter Debye as professor of theoretical physics in 1928

Image: ZachT. “Main building of the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH).” Wikipedia Commons. 2006.

The main building of ETH, 2006

The Neutrino (1930)Then-unexplained energy loss in beta decay

threatened the rule of Conservation of EnergyNeils Bohr was ready to accept that atoms simply

do not follow classical conservation lawsPauli presented a new explanation

The Neutrino (1930)

“Desperate Remedy” for energy conservation

Later named “neutrino” (little neutral one) by Enrico Fermi

Image: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility - Office of Science Education. “Beta Decay.” Jefferson Lab. 4 May. 2013. http://education.jlab.org/glossary/betadecay.html.

The Neutrino (1930)Reines-Cowan Experiment (1953-1956)

confirmed the existence of the neutrino

Left: Frederick Reines, Right: Clyde Cowan

Image: Kutner, Marc L; Pasachoff, Jay M. “Neutrinos for Interstellar Communication.” Cosmic Search Magazine. 1979. North American Astrophysical Laboratory. Web. 5 May 2013.

Personal LifeMother passed away in 1927Marriage in 1929 ended in divorce after a yearPauli turned to psychoanalysis for therapy

Met Carl Gustav Jung in 1930

Pauli and JungPauli turned away from prevailing positivist philosophy

in favor of Jung’s synchronicityTherapy ended in 1934 with Pauli’s second marriagePauli and Jung kept a regular correspondence

“Carl Gustav Jung.” borrasart. Web. 5 May 2013. http://www.borrasart.com/jungenglish.htm.

Spin-Statistics Theorem (1940)Result of Quantum Field TheoryFermion: half-integer-spin particle

Follows the exclusion principleProtons, neutrinos and beta particles are fermions

Boson: integer-spin particleDoes not obey the exclusion principle

Mysterious “Pauli Effect”Notoriously bad experimentalist

“This isn’t right, it’s not even wrong”Famous criticism for pseudoscience

The Late PauliPauli escaped to New Jersey to avoid

persecution by Nazi Germany, became an American citizen

1945 Nobel Prize ceremony was held away from its regular location for Pauli

Returned to ETH in 1946 where he remainedReceived Max Planck medal in 1958, passed

away shortly afterwards

Works Cited

“Max-Planck-Medaille.” German Physical Society. 2013. Web. 5 May. 2013.

“Pioneers in Magnetism and Electricity: Wolfgang Pauli.” Magnet Lab. 2013. Web. 4 May. 2013.

“Wolfgang Pauli.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.