Contribution of eminent scientist
DMITRI MENDELEEV
(February 8, 1834 – February 2, 1907)
Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist was born on
February 8, 1834 in Tobolsky, seberia. He was considered as founder of periodic
law through his outbreaking work on the periodic table of elements. Dmitri
graduated from St. Petersburg institute in 1855 and then went to earn a masters
degree in education. He received fellowship from the government for his studies
and moved to university of Heidelberg in Germany. He attended the internal
chemistry congress and met many of the Europe’s top chemists. In 1861, Dmitri
received his PhD in organic chemistry from St. Petersburg institute and became
the professor at the university St. Petersburg and continued his teaching there
until 1890.
He is
recognized for his contributions to the development of the periodic table where
the elements are arranged in the increasing order of their atomic weight
results in displaying a recurring pattern or periodicity within the group of
elements. This innovation revolutionized chemistry, enabling the scientist to
predict the properties of elements and their relationships. Mendeleev’s
periodic table predicted the existence of undiscovered elements, including
gallium, Scandium and germanium. He worked on the standardization of weights
and measures, introducing the concept of the metric system in Russia. His
efforts led to the adoption of the metric system globally.
Mendeleev’s work in geology and agriculture led to the
discovery of new mineral resources and the development of more efficient
agricultural practices. He had also invented pyrocollodion, a precursor to
celluloid and made a significant contribution to the development of petroleum
refining and the production of coal tar.
Throughout his life, Mendeleev received numerous
awards and honors for his works including the Copley Medal, the Davy Medal, and
honorary degrees from Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh universities. He was
elected to the Royal society in 1877.
Mendeleev’s legacy extends far beyond his scientific
contributions. His passion, dedication and innovative spirit continue to
inspire scientists and researchers around the world.
(Aug 8, 1901- Aug 27, 1958)
Ernst Lawrence was an American nuclear physicist left
an indelible mark on scientific community through his groundbreaking invention
of cyclotron. Born on Aug 8, 1901 in canton, south Dakota (United States). His
academic journey began from canton high school. In 1922 received his graduation
from university of South Dakota and took Master’s degree from university of
Minnesota. Later he was awarded his PhD from Yale university in physics (1925).
In 1928 he was appointed as Associate professor of physics in university of
California and in 1936 became the Director of the university’s Radiation
Laboratory and remained in these post until his death.
Lawrence research centered on nuclear physics. He
awarded Nobel prize in physics (1939) for his invention of cyclotron, a device
used for accelerating nuclear particle to a very high velocities without the
use of high voltages. He discovered hundreds of radioactive isotopes of known
element. The invention of cyclotron revolutionized nuclear physics enabling the
scientist to study subatomic particles and nuclear reactions and were also find
a useful application in medical and biological field, such as radio therapy.
He had also invented a device known as Calutrons, a
hybrid of standard laboratory mass spectrometer and cyclotron which are used
for the separation of electromagnetic isotope separation during World War II. Lawrence
was involved in the Manhattan project from the beginning where he was the
program chief in charge of electromagnetic separation work at Oak Ridge that
provided the Uranium 235 for the atomic bomb. In addition to these works he
devised a precise method for measuring e/m ration, one of the fundamental
constants of nature. Most of his work was published in ‘The physical Reviews
and the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’.
He was awarded
the Enrico Fermi Award in 1957, Comstock prize of National Academy of science,
the Fraday medal and the Duddell Medal of the Royal Physical society.
Both the Lawrence Berkely Laboratory and Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory were named in his honor. He died on August 27,
1958 and element 103 was named lawrencium (Lr) in his honor.
ROSALIND FRANKLINE
(July 25, 1920 - April 16, 1958)
Rosalind Frankline a British chemist was an x-ray
crystallographer whose work helped to uncover the double helix structure of
DNA. She attended her school at St Paul’s in London where they taught science.
In 1947 she got graduated from Newnham college (Cambridge) in Natural science.
After graduation she spent five years working as a researcher in R.G.W, Norrish
laboratory and then as an assistant officer at BCURA (British Coal Utilization
Research Association) where she studied the properties of coal and graphite. In
1945 she completed her doctoral research based on the work she had undertaken
at BCURA.
Franklins most notable contribution was her high-quality
x-ray photographic images of DNA, including the famous “photograph 51” taken in
1952 which provide crucial evidence for the double helix structure of DNA,
proposed by Watson and Crick. Franklins’ data and photographs were instrumental
in conforming the double helix model, revolutionizing our understanding of
genetics and molecular biology.
Frankline’s research on viruses, particularly Tobacco
Mosaic Virus in 1953 provides a deeper understanding on virus structure and its
function. Her X-ray crystallography work revealed the helical structure of
viruses, which makes an insight to their replication and interaction with the
host cell. She published a number of papers on the subject and she actually did
a lot of work file suffering from cancer.
Although Franklin did not receive a Nobel prize during
her life time as her discovery of the structure of DNA were crucial. The Nobel
prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 was awarded to James Watson, Francis
Crick and Maurice Wilkins for their work on the structure of DNA. However,
Frankling had passed away in 1958, and the Nobel Prize is not awarded
posthumously.
(28 January ,1925 – 24 September, 2004)
Raja Ramanna was an Indian Physicist who was the
director of India’s nuclear program in 1960s. He had made a
significant contribution for the development of India’s first Nuclear Bomb,
codenamed “Smiling Buddha” which was tested in 1974. Ramanna obtained his bachelor in
Physics at Madras University and obtained Masters from Bombay University. In
1949 he completed his PhD from King’s College, London in Nuclear Physics. He
joined the Tatta Institute of Fundamental Research and later the Bhabha Atomic
Research Centre (BARC) to work on nuclear physics. He served in various roles
such as secretary for Defense Research Government of India (1978-81),
Scientific Advisor to the Minister of Defence (1978-81), Director- general of
Defence Research and Development Organization (1978-82), Chairman of Atomic
Energy Commission (1978-83). He was the founder- director of national Institute
of Advanced studies and chairman of board of governors at IIT Bombay.
He made a significant contribution in the field of
nuclear thermalization and reactor design. Indian’s first nuclear reactor,
Apsara was design under his guidance. He contributed to the
development of India's missile program, including the Agni ballistic missile. As
a senior scientist and later director of BARC, he was pivotal in advancing
nuclear research in India. Under his leadership, BARC developed key
technologies and infrastructure essential for nuclear energy and weapons. He
played a key role in the development of the CIRUS (Canada-India Reactor, US)
reactor, which began operating in 1960 also he established the Nuclear Fuel
Complex in Hyderabad which produce Nuclear fuel for India’s reactors
Ramanna
was the founder of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in
kalpakkam, which focuses on the nuclear reactor development and safety. He
contributed to the development of India’s first commercial nuclear power
station in Tarapur, which began operating in 1969. His invention “smiling
Buddha” India’s first nuclear bomb marked a significant turning point in
India’s nuclear program, establishing the country as a nuclear power.
Ramanna’s
contributions to science and nation-building earned him numerous accolades,
including the Padma shri, Padma Bhushan and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize. His
legacy extends beyond his scientific achievements, as he inspired generations
of Indian Scientists and engineers.
ERWIN SCHRODINGER
(12 August, 1887- 4 January 1961)
Schrodinger was a Nobel prize – winning Australian and
naturalized Irish Physicist who developed fundamental result in quantum theory.
He
is particularly recognized for formulating the Schrödinger equation, which
provides a method to calculate a system's wave function and describes how it
changes with time. Schrödinger’s fascination with science
began at the Akademisches Gymnasium in Vienna, where he excelled in physics,
mathematics, and philosophy. From the University of Vienna, he earned his Ph.D.
in physics in 1910. After earning his Ph.D., Schrödinger took postdoctoral
research positions at the University of Jena and then at the University of
Stuttgart. He became professor of theoretical physics at University of
Stuttgart. In 1940, Schrödinger became the director of the School of
Theoretical Physics at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.
Schrödinger
developed a fundamental equation in quantum mechanics named as Schrödinger wave
equation that describes the time evolution of a quantum system, which is
crucial for understanding the behaviour of atoms, molecules, and subatomic
particles. His work introduced the concept of superposition, where a quantum
system can exist in multiple states simultaneously. He developed wave
mechanics, which posits that the particles, such as electrons can be described
as wave rather than point-like objects.
Schrödinger’s
work led to the formulation of the uncertainty principle which states that the
certain properties like the position and momentum cannot be precisely known
simultaneously. He was known for his thought- provoking experiments, including
“Schrödinger’s cat” which illustrates paradoxical nature of quantum mechanics. His
work also had significant impacts on thermodynamics and statistical mechanics,
particularly in understanding the behaviour of systems at the atomic and
subatomic level. He contributed to the development of quantum field theory that
describes the behaviour of fundamental particle and forces.
He
was awarded the Nobel prize in physics in 1933, shared with Paul Dirac, for the
fundamental contributions to quantum mechanics. In addition, he won Haintinger
Prize of the Austrian Academy of science (1920), Matteucci Medal of the
Academia nazionale delle scienze (1927), Honorary membership of the royal Irish
Academy (1931) and Erwin Schrödinger’s prize of Australian Academy of sciences
(1956).
Through
his scientific contributions. He inspired generations of scientists,
philosophers, and thinkers, shaping our understanding of the universe and our
place within it. His life serves as a testament to the power of human curiosity
and the boundless potential of the human mind.
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