Light Quanta and Photo-electric Emission

Abstract

I VENTURE to think that no theory has suffered so much from the application of an arbitrary selection principle to the consideration of experimental results as the quantum theory. The treatment of the whole subject, at least so far as it is concerned with X-ray phenomena—and in no branch of study is the acquaintance with the quantum rules and with their limitation so intimate—is based upon a very inadequate knowledge of facts. It could scarcely be otherwise when experimental acquaintance with the subject is so meagre. For the present I should like to mention only one point.