Divides Quote by Otto Robert Frisch
![“We [Frisch and Lise Meitner] walked up and down in the snow, I on skis and she on foot (she said and proved that she could get along just as fast that way), and gradually the idea took shape that this was no chipping or cracking of the nucleus but rather a process to be explained by Bohr's idea…” quote by Otto Robert Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ca9/otto-robert-frisch-74162_divides_we-frisch-and-lise-meitner-walked-up-and_1627491.jpg)
“We [Frisch and Lise Meitner] walked up and down in the snow, I on skis and she on foot (she said and proved that she could get along just as fast that way), and gradually the idea took shape that this was no chipping or cracking of the nucleus but rather a process to be explained by Bohr's idea that the nucleus was like a liquid drop; such a drop might elongate and divide itself.”
About This Quote
Source Historical account: Discovery of nuclear fission, 1939
Observations of snow‑shoeing led to the insight that nuclei behave like liquid drops, which can elongate and split, explaining fission.
In simple terms: Nuclei can split like a liquid drop, a key idea for nuclear fission.
Key Takeaway
Study the liquid‑drop model of nuclear structure.
Themes
science
discovery
physics
Mood
inquisitive
reflective
Type
scientific
historical
When to use this quote
- physics education
- research labs
- science communication
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
nuclear physics
liquid‑drop model
fission theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What experiments could test the liquid‑drop hypothesis?
- How does this model influence modern nuclear technology?
A Different Perspective
Alternative models (e.g., shell model) also explain nuclear behavior.
![“[In science any model depends on a pre-chosen taxonomy] a set of classifications into which we divide the enormous complexity of the real world... Land, labor, and capital are extremely heterogeneous aggregates, not much better than earth, air, fire, and water.” quote by Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/47e/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_air_in-science-any-model-depends-on-a-pre-ch_12383.jpg)
