Abstract

PALLO, Gábor. Isotope research before Isotopy: George Hevesy's early radioactivity research in the Hungarian context. Dynamis [online]. 2009, vol.29, pp.167-189. ISSN 2340-7948.

This paper presents a framework for the study of George Hevesy's research in the 1910s by distinguishing two styles of radioactivity research: the analytical (as practices in Manchester and Vienna in some extent) and the natural historical styles (as practiced in Hungary). Georg Hevesy's approach combined the two types. Indeed, by studying Hevesy's research in context, I show that the earliest applications of isotopes were born in parallel with the establishment of the isotope theory of matter.

Keywords : Hungary; radioactive tracer methodology; radioactivity; Béla Szilárd; George Hevesy; styles of scientific research.

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