Letter from Linus Pauling to Charlotte Moore. December 21, 1950. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 1 p.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Check from APH to Virginia Brown for $6.50. [Filed under LP Biographical: (Business and Financial: Bank Statements and Canceled Checks, September 1950 - December 1952), Box #4.021, Folder #21.2]
• Letter from Dr. Harry L. Fisher, Administrative Assistant, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, National Research Council to LP RE: Notifies him that Franklin is interested in inviting an international chemist to lecture at the Humble Oil & Refining Company and thanks him for suggesting that the NRC contact Franklin about it. Includes copies of correspondence between Franklin and Fisher discussing the possibility of inviting someone. [Letter from Fisher to LP November 3, 1950] [Filed under LP Science: (National Research Council, 1950-1992), Box #14.028, Folder #28.2]
• Letter from E. Bright Wilson, Jr., Department of Chemistry, Harvard University, to LP RE: Thanks Wilson for letting him know about George Halsey and states that they will look into offering him an appointment. States that they do not have any appointments on the permanent staff but that they might be able to offer him a fellowship. Says that he looks forward to hearing about his experiences in England. [Letters from Wilson to LP, December 11, 1950 and February 27, 1951] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Wilson, E. Bright (Jr.)), #438.5]
• Letter from H.L. Fisher to J.L. Franklin, cc: LP RE: States that they are making definite plans to have one or two of the British chemists give courses in Franklin’s Lectures in Science series. Suggests that Franklin make the arrangements. [Filed under LP Science: (National Research Council, 1950-1992), Box #14.018, Folder #28.2]
• Letter from JW Williams, University of Wisconsin to LP RE: Informs LP of developments regarding possible research on oxypolygel as he was asked by the new Committee on Shock, NRC to do some physical chemical studies with materials which have been proposed as plasma substitutes. [Notes: “To Dr. Campbell”, “LP - The recent developments have been at Baxters and I suggest that if OP Co? Is studied it would be best to study the batches from Baxter’s so our own experimental batches. DHC”] [Letter from LP to JW Williams January 9, 1951] [Filed under LP Science: (Materials re: Oxypolygelatin Blood Plasma Substitute, 1945-1951), Box #6.003, Folder #3.2]
• Letter from LP to Charlotte E. Moore, National Bureau of Standards. [Missing Letter from Moore to LP, January 4, 1951 and Letter from LP to Moore, January 10, 1951] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Correspondence, 1951), #256.2]

  December 21, 1950

  Miss Charlotte E. Moore

  National Bureau of Standards

  Washington 25, D.C.

  Dear Miss Moore:

  I am writing to ask if you could give me some values of ionization potentials of the heavier elements.

  A recent change in the presumably correct value for the energy of dissociation of diatomic fluorine has led to a difficulty about the electron affinity of fluorine, as calculated from thermo- chemical data, with use of the Born-Haber cycle. The value obtained in this way is less than that for chlorine, which seems unlikely. I have decided to try to obtain reliable values of electron affinities of halogens by the extrapolation of values of ionization potentials for iso-electronic atoms. The first ionization potential of helium, the second of lithium, and so on give a value for the electron affinity of hydrogen in excellent agreement with the value calculated by quantum mechanical methods. A similar treatment of the data in your Volume 1 for neon and the corresponding sequence and for argon and the corresponding sequence leads to values 99 kcal mole-1 for the electron affinity of fluorine and 91 kcal mole-1 for the electron affinity of chlorine. I have not yet carried out these extrapolations with great care, and the final values may be changed by a percent or two.

  Now, I would like to make similar calculations to obtain the electron affinities of bromine and iodine. Could you tell me what your best values are for the first ionization potential of krypton, the second ionization potential of rubidium, and so on, perhaps as far as molybdenum; and also for the first ionization potential of xenon, the second ionization potential of cesium, and so on, about as far as neodymium. The values for krypton and xenon are, of course, given in your Table 23 - it is the other values that I need.

  Let me express my thanks to you for your fine work in collecting the data on atomic energy levels and making them available in convenient form. I have made a good bit of use of Volume 1 already. When may we expect to have Volume 2?

  Sincerely yours,

  Linus Pauling:W

• Letter from LP to Dr. Charles Allen Thomas, Monsanto Chemical Company, RE: Thanks him for his letter and writes that he will continue to do his best to serve the American Chemical Society. Also writes that he has been thinking about his Advisory Board and shares that he recently had lunch with Moe, who was very interested in the Advisory Board. [Letter from Thomas to LP, December 13, 1950, Letter from Thomas to LP, January 4, 1951] [Filed under LP Science: (American Chemical Society: Correspondence, 1950-1964), Box #14.006, Folder #6.3]
• Letter from LP to George E. Farrand RE: States that he is glad that Mr. Farrand will visit the Institute during the early part of next year to meet Professor Beadle and him to discusse the work that is being done with the support of the Laurabelle Arms Robinson Center Research Fund. Mentions arrangements for Mr. Farrand’s visit. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (Farrand, George, 1949-1954), #117.6]
• Letter from LP to Mr. Roger Hayward, RE: Says that the original drawing of Figure 8-10 is being sent to him and notes what changes he would like to have made to that drawing and to Figure 11-1. [Filed under LP Personal Safe, Drawer #2, Folder #2.009]
• Letter from LP to Theoda Johnson, W. H. Freeman & Co., RE: Requests that a copy of Figure 8-10 of College Chemistry be sent to Mr. Hayward for a change in the lettering. [Filed under LP Books 1950b.2]
• Letter from LP to Theoda Johnson, W. H. Freeman & Co., RE: Requests that the original drawing for Figure 11-1 of College Chemistry be sent to Roger Hayward. Explains a correction he wishes Hayward to make to the drawing. [Filed under LP Books 1950b.2]
• Letter from Murray Vernon King, Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State College, to LP RE: Expresses his interest in finding a research position or a teaching job with research opportunities. Inquires if there are any openings at Caltech or other openings LP might know of. Discuss his academic and research background, as well as his areas of interest. Provides a list of his publications. [Letter from LP to King, December 28, 1950] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (King, Vernon M.), #198.11]
• Letter from Paul Doty, Department of Chemistry, Harvard University, to LP RE: Asks LP if he would like Dr. Michel Magat to lecture for his organization during the time that he is visiting the country. [Letter from LP to Doty, January 3, 1951] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (M: Correspondence, 1951), #256.2]
• Letter from Professor William N. Lipscomb, School of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, to LP RE: On behalf of Dean L. H. Reyerson, the present Program Chairman of the Minnesota section of the American Chemical Society, invites LP to visit during April. [Letter from LP to Lipscomb, December 27, 1950] [Filed under LP Speeches: 1951s.5]
• Letter from W. H. Freeman, W. H. Freeman & Co., to LP RE: Encourages LP to proceed with his revision of General Chemistry. Mentions another book on which LP will work in the future. Encloses a list of 1949-50 adoptions of LP’s General Chemistry by Universities. [Filed under LP Books: 1947b6.2]