Li Kangping returned to the dormitory and drafted the graduation report of Columbia College and the application for admission to the Department of Physics of Columbia University Graduate School.

The graduation report of Columbia College is a summary report, and Li Kangping wrote a two-page paper stating what he has achieved during his study at the college, and has met the graduation requirements of the college's undergraduate students, and asked the Academic Council to approve and issue a bachelor's degree certificate.

The application for admission to Columbia University's graduate school is more content, and Li Kangping once again stated his performance during his undergraduate years, focusing on his solid A+, A, and PR papers in physics, and hoped that his master's supervisor would be Professor Woodgate.

Li Kangping wrote the undergraduate graduation report and the application for the graduate school, attached the supporting documents, and submitted it to Mr. McDonald.

Professor Woodgate has said that he is either in the office or in the lab at noon every weekday.

When Li Kangping arrived at the Hertley House at half past twelve in the afternoon, he saw the door of Professor Woodgate's office open, and Professor Woodgate was sitting in the room, smoking a cigarette and filled with smoke.

Knock knock. Li Kangping knocked on the open door, and he asked, "Professor, can I come in?" ”

"Lee, please come in."

Li Kangping entered, although the doors and windows were open, he still smelled a thick smell of smoke.

The ashtray was stuffed with cigarette butts, and Professor Woodgate frowned, not happy or pretending to be happy by Li Kangping's arrival.

The reason why a man is upset is nothing more than money, career, love, family, children, wife, lover, face, scene, and affection...... So there are many reasons why men are upset.

Li Kangping didn't know the specific reason for Professor Woodgate's bitter frown, he didn't bother to ask more, but just reported the good news: "Professor, my paper was published in Physical Review, which is faster than I expected, I thought that my paper would be scheduled in April, August or even February next year. ”

"I see it." Professor Woodgate, pulling this issue of Physical Review from the pile of papers, said, "Lee, you are the only person I know of who has published a Physical Review paper at the undergraduate level, congratulations. ”

"Thank you, Professor, without your recommendation, there would be no publication of mine."

Li Kangping said: "Professor, I have completed the credits of Columbia College, in fact, I have submitted an application for admission to the graduate school of Columbia University, if possible, I hope you can become my master's supervisor." ”

"It's possible." Professor Woodgate's hair was already scarce, and his hair was now close to none.

Li Kangping couldn't help it, he asked, "Professor, what are you worried about?" ”

"Mr. MacDonald has shown me your lab report, and your lab skills are good enough to correspond to the measurement of cathode rays and the drawing of spectral lines, which you have done well enough as an undergraduate. And the experiment I'm working on is far more difficult than you think. You see, I'm tormented by it. A gloomy Professor Woodgate lit a cigarette, the third he had lit in five minutes.

"Professor, I know I'm not qualified to ask about this right now, but I still want to ask, what is the experiment you're doing about?"

Professor Woodgate said: "It's no secret that space is quantized, and quite a few physicists have designed experiments to verify it. Yes, the experiment I'm doing is a verification experiment for spatial quantization. ”

Li Kangping's body shook and he asked, "So Professor Woodgate, you presuppose that the theory of space quantization is true, and then verify its correctness?" ”

"Space quantization is a perfect way to describe the Stark effect and the conventional Zeeman effect, and it also plays a role in interpreting X-ray lines and explaining helium spectroscopy problems. However, no one has successfully demonstrated the existence of space quantization experimentally, and some physicists even doubt the physical reality of space quantization. In my opinion, the theory of space quantization should be valid. Unfortunately, like other experimental physicists, I have not been able to experimentally prove the existence and reality of space quantization. At present, it seems that the experimental methods we know are pale in the face of space quantization. And that's where I'm struggling. With that, Professor Woodgate lit a fourth cigarette.

In order to describe the behavior of hydrogen atoms under the action of external electric and magnetic fields, Sommerfeld introduced the concept of space quantization in 1916, which was a purely theoretical work.

In 1918, Niels Bohr proposed that n1=0 is forbidden because the plane of the electron orbit contains the direction of the magnetic field, and the motion of the electron will be unstable. This is also a theoretical hypothesis, and Bohr supplemented and perfected the theory of space quantization on the basis of Sommerfeld.

Sommerfeld and Bohr moved their mouths, so experimental physicists all over the world did.

As Professor Woodgate said, the difficulty of the verification experiment of spatial quantization lies in hands-on skills.

"The orientation of the electron orbital is irregular, and the angle to the magnetic field can be arbitrarily valued. The main difficulty in testing the magnetic properties of bismuth atoms is the design of the experimental system...... "Professor Woodgate revealed some details of the experiment, and in his words, it is not a shocking secret, if you ask any experimental physicist, they will say so.

"Professor, is it possible to consider replacing bismuth atoms with silver atoms?"

"Oh? Lee, talk about your views and be specific. ”

"My experimental idea is to condense a beam of silver atoms on the receiving glass. In order to achieve this goal, we need more high-energy, efficient, and high-precision experimental systems. I don't know if there is such a system in reality, I can only draw the intention now, can I do that, Professor? ”

"Of course you can." Professor Woodgate handed over a pencil and paper.

Li Kangping immediately drew a complex experimental setup, consisting of a semicircular electromagnet, a liquid air system, an air extractor, a diffusion pump, a vacuum pump, an electric furnace, a glass plate, a silver atomic beam generator, and various accessories.

"Professor, this is my experimental design, the picture is not beautiful enough, and the overall is a little rough, but the core idea of the expression, I think I have expressed it clearly. What do you say, professor? ”

"It's a new way of thinking...... "Professor Woodgate, extinguishing his cigarette and examining the schematic diagram of Li Kangping's experiment with great engrossion.

"This thing, a semicircular electromagnet of such a large size, I really don't know where to get it!" Professor Woodgate drew a large semicircle in the air, and he continued: "Liquid air systems, we don't have such devices in our school. Although I don't know where to look for some experimental equipment, I think this novel experimental idea is worth trying! On the other hand, if a physicist has never used these things, then we will be the pioneers! ”

Optimism replaced sorrow, and Professor Woodgate exclaimed: "At this juncture, one more experimenter has one more hope of success." Lee, welcome to my experimental team, yes, I'll act immediately to get you to join my team as soon as possible. ”

Professor Woodgate released such words, and Li Kangping should not have much problem becoming his master's student.

On the Chinese side, Li Kangping's father sent a telegram to the following effect: American businessman, buy mahjong, purchase channel, Shanghai firm, ivory mahjong, a pair of seventy, bamboo mahjong, a pair of five yuan. I found the source of goods in Panyu, ivory sixty, bamboo three yuan, has been shipped, Kangping attention.

After Li's father did a survey of the mahjong market in East China and South China, he wholesaled mahjong from the mahjong factory in Panyu and sent it to New York. The monetary unit in the message is the Republic of China Ocean, and a pair of ivory mahjong of sixty or seventy yuan is considered a luxury in China.

After reading the message, Li Kangping said with emotion: "My father is an excellent businessman. ”