Intra-atomic Charge in Nature, 92, 1913-1914

1913 FIRST EDITION of a short letter to the editor of Nature in which Frederick Soddy presents his theory of isotopes to designate chemically identical elements with different atomic weights and first uses the term 'isotope' in print -- work for which he would later win the Nobel Prize.

"In 1913, only the barest outlines of the structure of the atom had been drawn. Frederick Soddy, although struggling to understand how an electron could be emitted from the nucleus during beta-decay, supported the conclusions of A. van de Broeck -- that an element's atomic number, not its atomic weight, is the fundamental parameter determining chemical properties. Soddy introduced the word 'isotope' for elements that occupy the same place in the periodic table and hence have identical properties, though different mass. He also contested "Rutherford's tentative theory" that the nucleus has only positive charge.

One week later [ALSO in this volume], a rather indignant Ernest Rutherford responded: the nucleus has "resultant" positive charge, he said, and as he elaborated, Rutherford came tantalizingly close to postulating the proton" (Nature Website). CONDITION & DETAILS: Complete. 4to (Quarto). 10.5 x 7.5 inches (262 x 187mm). [xl], 732, [2]. In text illustrations throughout. Bound in the original gilt and black embossed Nature binding. Lightly rubbed and scuffed at the edges. The binding is just starting to loosen a bit, but is still very solid. The endpapers are toned, but otherwise the interior is very bright and clean throughout.