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The Wave Theory of the Electron

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2008

J. M. Whittaker
J. M. Whittaker
Affiliation:
Trinity College
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Extract

In two recent papers Dirac has shown how the “duplexity” phenomena of the atom can be accounted for without recourse to the hypothesis of the spinning electron. The investigation is carried out by the methods of non-commutative algebra, the wave function ψ being a matrix of the fourth order. An alternative presentation of the theory, using the methods of wave mechanics, has been given by Darwin. The four-rowed matrix ψ is replaced by four wave functions ψ1, ψ2, ψ3, ψ4 satisfying four linear differential equations of the first order. These functions are related to one particular direction, and the work can only be given invariance of form at the expense of much additional complication, the four wave functions being replaced by sixteen.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , Volume 24 , Issue 4 , October 1928 , pp. 501 - 505
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge Philosophical Society 1928

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References

* Proc. Roy. Soc. A, vol. 117, p. 610 (1928);CrossRefGoogle Scholaribid. vol. 118, p. 351 (1928).

† Proc. Roy. Soc. A, vol. 118, p. 654 (1928).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

* Heaviside, , Electrician, 02. 21, 1885, p. 306;Google ScholarWhittaker, E. T., Proc. Roy. Soc. A, vol. 113, p. 496 (1927).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

* At the top of page 619 of the first of the papers cited above. I owe this remark to Mr Ruse, H. S..Google Scholar

† The fact that these constants are independent removes a difficulty in Dirac's theory noted by Darwin, , lot. cit. p. 665.Google Scholar

‡ Proc Roy. Soc. A, vol. 117, p. 290 (1927).Google Scholar