DOC.
269
JUNE
1911 191
As
especially
Messrs. Planck and
Einstein
have demonstrated,
these
contradictions
disappear
if
one
imposes
certain limitations
on
the movement
of electrons
and atoms
as
regards
the oscillations about
a
position
of
rest (the
doctrine of
energy
quanta);
but
this
interpretation,
in
turn, deviates
so
considerably
from the
equations
of
motion
of material
points
that have been
used
up
to
now
that
its
acceptance
would
necessarily
and
indisputably
entail
a
vast
reform of
our
current
fundamental
theories.[4]
Although
not involved in
special
questions
of
this
sort,
but nevertheless
moved
by
genuine
enthusiasm
for all
problems
the
study
of
which
expands
and
improves
our
knowledge
of
nature,
the
undersigned thought
that,
even
if not
leading to
a
definitive
decision,
a
written and oral
exchange
of
views
between researchers
occupied more or
less
directly
with
these
questions
might,
through
a
preparatory
critique, at
least clear the
way
for the solution of these
problems.
One
already
would have
made
a
great step
on
the
way
toward the
development
of
atomistics if
one were
to
establish
clearly
which
of
our
molecular and kinetic models
are
in
agreement
with the
results of
observations,
and
which,
on
the
contrary,
must
be
subjected
to
a
complete
transformation.
To that
end,
the
undersigned proposes
to
you
to
participate
in
a
"Scientific
Congress,"
which will be held
in Brussels from
Sunday,
29
October,
to Saturday,
4
November
1911,
and will
bring together,
in
a
small
meeting,
several eminent
scientists.
The
composition
of
this
congress
would be
as
follows:
Chairman:
Mr.
Lorentz
(Holland);
Secretaries:
Mssrs. R.
Goldschmidt
(Belgium),
de
Broglie
(France);
Members:
Mssrs.
Jeans, Larmor,
Lord
Rayleigh,
Rutherford, Schuster,
J. J.
Thomson
(England);
Nernst,
Planck,
Rubens, Sommerfeld,
Warburg,
W. Wien
(Germany)
Brillouin,
Mme
Curie,
Langevin,
Perrin,
H.
Poincare
(France);
Einstein,
Hasenoert
(Austria);
Kamerlingh
Onnes,
Van
der
Waals
(Holland);
Knudsen
(Denmark).[5]
The
following topics
would be
treated
at
the conference:
1
-
Derivation of
Rayleigh's
radiation formula.
2
-
Comparison
of the
kinetic
theory
of ideal
gases
with
empirical
results.
3
-
Application
of the kinetic
theory
to emulsions.
4
-
The kinetic
theory
of
specific
heats
according
to
Clausius, Maxwell,
and Boltzmann.
5
-
The radiation formula
and
the
theory
of
energy
quanta ("Quantenhypothese").
6
-
Specific
heat
and
the
theory
of
quanta.
7
-
The
application
of the
theory
of
quanta
to
a
series
of
problems
in
physics.
8
-
Application
of the
theory
of
quanta
to
a
series of
problems
of
physicochemical
and
chemical nature.
For each of these
questions
we
will ask
a
particularly competent
member
to
write
a
preliminary report.
These
reports,
written
in French, German,
or English,
will be