--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dirac's equation not only accounted for…" description: "\"“Dirac's equation not only accounted for the spin of the electron and its observed magnetic moment, but also correctly explained the fine structure of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/silvan-s-schweber-278340_dirac_dirac-s-equation-not-only-accounted-for_1437605.jpg" --- # Dirac's equation not only accounted for the spin of the… ![“Dirac's equation not only accounted for the spin of the electron and its observed magnetic moment, but also correctly explained the fine structure of the hydrogen atom. If the derivation of the Sommerfeld-like formula for the spectrum of the hydrogen atom was one of the striking successes of the…” quote by Silvan S. Schweber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/silvan-s-schweber-278340_dirac_dirac-s-equation-not-only-accounted-for_1437605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/silvan-s-schweber-278340_dirac_dirac-s-equation-not-only-accounted-for_1437605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/silvan-s-schweber-278340_dirac_dirac-s-equation-not-only-accounted-for_1437605.jpg) > ““Dirac's equation not only accounted for the spin of the electron and its observed magnetic moment, but also correctly explained the fine structure of the hydrogen atom. If the derivation of the Sommerfeld-like formula for the spectrum of the hydrogen atom was one of the striking successes of the Dirac equation, some of its other features were very troublesome.”” [Silvan S. Schweber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvan-s-schweber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dirac’s equation elegantly explained electron spin, magnetic moment, and hydrogen fine structure, yet some aspects remain puzzling. **In simple terms:** Dirac’s theory succeeded and still challenges us. Key Takeaway Study both its triumphs and unresolved questions. Themes physics theory history of science Mood analytical curious Type Dirac:1 Fine-structure-constant:0 History of science:1 Physics:1 Quantum physics:1 Theory:1 Time:0 Dirac Equation:1 Magnetic Moment:1 Spin Electron:1 Successes Dirac:0 When to use this quote - academic research - physics education Key Concepts quantum mechanics electron properties fine‑structure Questions to Reflect On - What unresolved issues intrigue you most? - How does this shape modern physics? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirac/) [Dirac Equation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirac-equation-790561/) [Fine-structure-constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine-structure-constant/) [History of science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-of-science/) [Magnetic Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magnetic-moment-2459382/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Quantum physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantum-physics/) [Spin Electron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spin-electron-5136092/) [Successes Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successes-dirac-5136093/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [When I was a young man, Dirac was my hero. He made a breakthrough, a new method of doing physics. He had the courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/when-i-was-a-young-man-dirac-was-my-hero-he-made-a-breakthrough-a-new/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [ “When Dirac was an old man, younger physicists often asked him how he felt when he discovered the \[Dirac\] equation. From his replies, it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-farmelo/when-dirac-was-an-old-man-younger-physicists-often-asked-him-how-he/) [Graham Farmelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-farmelo/) > [“Here the attention of the research workers is primarily directed to the problem of reconciling the claims of the special relativity theory with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/here-the-attention-of-the-research-workers-is-primarily-directed-to/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [“The strength of the familiar electromagnetic force between two electrons, for example, is expressed in physics in terms of a constant known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-livio/the-strength-of-the-familiar-electromagnetic-force-between-two/) [Mario Livio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-livio/) > [It was not until some weeks later that I realized there is no need to restrict oneself to 2 by 2 matrices. One could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/it-was-not-until-some-weeks-later-that-i-realized-there-is-no-need-to/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [Mass, time , magnetic moment, the unconscious: we have grown up with these symbolic concepts, so that we are startled to be told that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/mass-time-magnetic-moment-the-unconscious-we-have-grown-up-with-these/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“How would I say in Japanese, ‘I solve the Dirac Equation’?” They said such-and-so. “OK. Now I want to say, ‘Would you solve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-feynman/how-would-i-say-in-japanese-i-solve-the-dirac-equation-they-said-such/) [Richard Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-feynman/) > [Well, in the first place, it leads to great anxiety as to whether it's going to be correct or not ... I expect that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/well-in-the-first-place-it-leads-to-great-anxiety-as-to-whether-it-s/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [“...I am not, however, militant in my atheism. The great English theoretical physicist Paul Dirac is a militant atheist. I suppose he is interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-pauling/i-am-not-however-militant-in-my-atheism-the-great-english-theoretical/) [Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-pauling/) > [In the 1920s the young English physicist Paul Dirac began trying to understand and describe the space-time evolution of the electron, the first elementary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonino-zichichi/in-the-1920s-the-young-english-physicist-paul-dirac-began-trying-to/) [Antonino Zichichi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonino-zichichi/) > [“Dirac found that the ratio of the electric force to the gravitational force of an electron-proton pair is roughly equal to the ratio of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-flynn/dirac-found-that-the-ratio-of-the-electric-force-to-the-gravitational/) [Michael Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-flynn/) > [ Dirac politely refused Robert's \[Robert Oppenheimer\] two proffered books: reading books, the Cambridge theoretician announced gravely, "interfered with thought." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-walter-alvarez/dirac-politely-refused-robert-s-robert-oppenheimer-two-proffered/) [Luis Walter Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-walter-alvarez/) > [“Our friend Dirac has a creed; and the main tenet of that creed is: There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/our-friend-dirac-has-a-creed-and-the-main-tenet-of-that-creed-is/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [In his 1930 book, Dirac took for granted that measurements could be made, but was very vague about what was actually involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-lamb/in-his-1930-book-dirac-took-for-granted-that-measurements-could-be/) [Willis Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-lamb/) > [God does not exist and Dirac is His prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-paul/god-does-not-exist-and-dirac-is-his-prophet/) [Wolfgang Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-paul/) ## More Dirac quotes > [When I was a young man, Dirac was my hero. He made a breakthrough, a new method of doing physics. He had the courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/when-i-was-a-young-man-dirac-was-my-hero-he-made-a-breakthrough-a-new/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [In his 1930 book, Dirac took for granted that measurements could be made, but was very vague about what was actually involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-lamb/in-his-1930-book-dirac-took-for-granted-that-measurements-could-be/) [Willis Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-lamb/) > [“The strength of the familiar electromagnetic force between two electrons, for example, is expressed in physics in terms of a constant known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-livio/the-strength-of-the-familiar-electromagnetic-force-between-two/) [Mario Livio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-livio/) > [“Our friend Dirac has a creed; and the main tenet of that creed is: There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/our-friend-dirac-has-a-creed-and-the-main-tenet-of-that-creed-is/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [ Dirac politely refused Robert's \[Robert Oppenheimer\] two proffered books: reading books, the Cambridge theoretician announced gravely, "interfered with thought." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-walter-alvarez/dirac-politely-refused-robert-s-robert-oppenheimer-two-proffered/) [Luis Walter Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-walter-alvarez/) > [“Dirac found that the ratio of the electric force to the gravitational force of an electron-proton pair is roughly equal to the ratio of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-flynn/dirac-found-that-the-ratio-of-the-electric-force-to-the-gravitational/) [Michael Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-flynn/) > [God does not exist and Dirac is His prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-paul/god-does-not-exist-and-dirac-is-his-prophet/) [Wolfgang Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-paul/) > [“...I am not, however, militant in my atheism. The great English theoretical physicist Paul Dirac is a militant atheist. I suppose he is interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-pauling/i-am-not-however-militant-in-my-atheism-the-great-english-theoretical/) [Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-pauling/) > [In the 1920s the young English physicist Paul Dirac began trying to understand and describe the space-time evolution of the electron, the first elementary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonino-zichichi/in-the-1920s-the-young-english-physicist-paul-dirac-began-trying-to/) [Antonino Zichichi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonino-zichichi/) > [“During the meeting in Delhi with Dirac on 12 January 1955, Nehru asked him if he had any recommendations for the future of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-farmelo/during-the-meeting-in-delhi-with-dirac-on-12-january-1955-nehru-asked/) [Graham Farmelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-farmelo/) > [ “When Dirac was an old man, younger physicists often asked him how he felt when he discovered the \[Dirac\] equation. From his replies, it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-farmelo/when-dirac-was-an-old-man-younger-physicists-often-asked-him-how-he/) [Graham Farmelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-farmelo/) > [Well, our friend Dirac, too, has a religion, and its guiding principle is "God does not exist and Dirac is His prophet."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/well-our-friend-dirac-too-has-a-religion-and-its-guiding-principle-is/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [If I understand Dirac correctly, his meaning is this: there is no God, and Dirac is his Prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/if-i-understand-dirac-correctly-his-meaning-is-this-there-is-no-god/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [“Here the attention of the research workers is primarily directed to the problem of reconciling the claims of the special relativity theory with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/here-the-attention-of-the-research-workers-is-primarily-directed-to/) [Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/) > [Well, our friend Dirac, too, has a religion, and its guiding principle is: 'There is no God and Dirac is His prophet.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/well-our-friend-dirac-too-has-a-religion-and-its-guiding-principle-is-2/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) [Browse all 18 Dirac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirac/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Dirac's equation not only accounted for the spin of the electron and its observed magnetic moment, but also correctly explained the fine structure of the hydrogen atom. 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