Nuclear Radiation Physics

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Richard Hull
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Nuclear Radiation Physics

Post by Richard Hull »

I have pushed this book hard for years here. I just purchased two more nice, clean copies of the 4th edition for $3.95 each. Upon arrival, one of the books was a discard from the Univ of Wisconsin library (fusor work being done there). The other copy is a discard from NASA's main library in Wahington, DC.

My only 4th edition copy was getting pretty ratty and this is the edition you want! Check ABE.com (American Book Exchange) or Amazon.

I have all of the editions in my library. The authors Lapp and Andrews really updated the 4th editon, doing away with the 40's and 50's material about fission reactors and filling the first chapters in this last edtion with nuclear detection info.

The different editions were 1948(4 printings into 1952), 1954, 1963 and 1972. Old books with old information?? No! One of the tidiest and easy to digest first year college text that any capable, adroit high school student needs as a reference on this subject.

As Lenard on the TV show, "Big Bang", noted to Penny when, to make conversation, she flippantly asked...."Well, what's new in physics today?....."
Lenard, pausing for a moment of reflection, answered thoughtfully........"Not much in the way of major new physics discoveries or breakthroughs have been made since the late 1930s".

It is to be remembered that qualified, paid physicists work on that TV show to make sure it is all correct physics. Real physicists put those words in Lenard's mouth! (script).

This is true in basic radiation physics, as well. This 4th edition of this great work is still fresh and correct.

If you are interested in cool trivia... The first and second editions are dedicated to Dr. Louis Slotin...(know who he was?)

At the end of the preface of the first, 1948 edition, the authors give their names and locations.
"R.E. Lapp, Wahington DC"...... He worked at NRL, Naval Research Laboratory).....
"H.L. Andrews, Eniwetok Atoll" .... Remember? (The first post war atomic tests were carried out on this Pacific atoll in 1948.... Shots "Able" and "Baker")

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
Tom McCarthy
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Re: Nuclear Radiation Physics

Post by Tom McCarthy »

https://www.abebooks.com is where I got my copy - just noticed mine is 3rd edition, ordered 4th for $8 total shipping to Ireland. It's far more accessible for a high schooler compared to the normal textbooks.

Tom
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Finn Hammer
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Re: Nuclear Radiation Physics

Post by Finn Hammer »

Amazon.co.uk had a nice copy of 4th. edition, it is on it´'s way this side.

And tough luck for Dr. Louis Slotin...

(from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Slotin )
A re-creation of the Slotin incident. The inside hemisphere with the thumb-hole next to the demonstrator's hand is beryllium (replacing the uranium tamper of the same size in a Fat Man bomb). There is an external larger metal sphere of aluminum under it (replacing the pusher sphere in this bomb's design). The plutonium "demon core" was inside the spheres at the time of the accident and is not visible, but its dimensions are comparable with the two small half-spheres shown resting nearby.
A re-creation of the Slotin incident. The inside hemisphere with the thumb-hole next to the demonstrator's hand is beryllium (replacing the uranium tamper of the same size in a Fat Man bomb). There is an external larger metal sphere of aluminum under it (replacing the pusher sphere in this bomb's design). The plutonium "demon core" was inside the spheres at the time of the accident and is not visible, but its dimensions are comparable with the two small half-spheres shown resting nearby.
Cheers, Finn Hammer
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Richard Hull
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Re: Nuclear Radiation Physics

Post by Richard Hull »

Tickling the tail of the dragon can have nasty consequences.

The low prices for this fine text, regardless of edition is certainly due to its being used as an introductory text in colleges on this subject for many years. Thus, countless thousands are out there and the subject matter does not have the common man clamoring to purchase it. Libraries purge excellent books all the time just due to their publishing date. This is especially true of technical and scientific libraries that want to, or must keep up to date texts on hand. In with the new and out with the old.

A classic example is a text I obtained a few year back from ABE. It is the ultra-limited edition of Otto Hahn's year long work in radio chemistry during his 1930's fellowship grant here in the US. It was summarily ejected from the Harvard scientific library solely due to age without regard to the pivotal work in it or its famous author. Someone tasked a flunky to select older texts for purging; probably an undergrad studying library sciences. It is a treasured tome here, I assure you!

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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