Einstein's Nobel prize

1. Nov 30, 2003

einsteinian77

Its a well known fact the Einstein didn't recieve his nobel prize for Relativity but instead he got it for his work on the photo-electric effect. Why is this? Is it because Relativity was less creative than photo-electric effect?

2. Nov 30, 2003

Staff Emeritus
In my opinion it was due to the direct connection with experiment of the pohoto-electric effect. The Nobel committee then and now is suspicious of theory that doesn't tie to experiment. You will find that many quantum theorist's prizes (Pauli, Born) were delayed a long time until unmistakeable evidence for theose crazy quantum ideas turned up in the labs.

3. Dec 1, 2003

kx21

*** Einstein's Nobel prize:- SR/GR vs. QM ***

SR/GR is about basic Mathematics (e.g. Speed = c iff Mass = 0)

and

QM is about Fundamental Physics (e.g. photo-electric effect)...

So, Einstein's Nobel prize is associated with QM, instead of SR/GR.

[?]

kx21

4. Dec 1, 2003

Chi Meson

THe Nobel committee is not allowed to present prizes posthumously, otherwise Al would definately have received a second prize. It is speculated that his unfavorable (and unfair) attachment to "the bomb" deferred his selection for a few crucial years (the Nobel comittee is still somewhat political). I don't think that there is any direct evidence of his being eschewed.