Modern Electrical Theory

Abstract

THE work now before us is one of the supplementary chapters to Dr. Campbell's book on modern electrical theory. This series of supplements is planned according to an idea which might well be used by the authors of other text-books on physics. It is unfortunate, however, that we are unable to commend the present book to those who, like the reviewer, welcomed the author's original work as a real and vital account of the subject. The book contains numerous errors which any practical spectroscopist would detect at once; and they reach their culminating point when the author, in a professedly complete list of the chemical elements the spectra of which form well-defined series, omits oxygen, sulphur, and selenium. The spectrum of oxygen is, almost in a classical sense, one of the most beautiful and ideal series arrangements known to every spectroscopist. It has not played a part in the application of the quantum theory as yet, which may provide the explanation of the circumstance that the author is unaware of this fact, as he shows more than once.

Modern Electrical Theory.

Supplementary Chapters. Chapter XV.: Series Spectra. By Dr. N. R. Campbell. (Cambridge Physical Series.) Pp. viii + 110. (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1921.) 10s. 6d. net.