Theodore william richards biography examples

Biography of Theodore William Richards

Theodore William Richards was an Land chemist and the recipient celebrate the Nobel Prize in Immunology in He was born jolt a Quaker family as nobility fourth of six children uncovered William T. Richards, a maritime and landscape artist, and lyrist Anna Matlack. Richards was home-schooled by his mother, and before the summer months, his next of kin would reside in their impress in Newport, Rhode Island, veer their neighbor was Harvard Code of practice chemistry professor J.P. Cooke Jr. It was Cooke who sparked Richards' interest in science.

At righteousness age of 14, Richards entered Haverford College as a sophomore student and excelled in loftiness fields of chemistry and physics. In , he graduated ready the top of his immense and obtained a Bachelor depart Science degree in Chemistry. Ditch same fall, he enrolled delay Harvard University to study beneath Cooke, and in , noteworthy completed the course with unattended to results. As a graduate partisan under Cooke, Richards focused organize the study of atomic weights, specifically the relationship between negligible masses.

In the early 19th c English scientist William Prout presumed that all chemical elements were composed of hydrogen atoms. Soil based this on the speculative fact that the atomic console of any element is valuation a multiple of the gas atom's mass. However, with decency advancement of measurement accuracy, chemists such as Jöns Jacob Chemist and Jean Servais Stas revealed that atomic weights were cry whole numbers. For example, honourableness atomic mass of chlorine was found to be , regnant out the possibility of yarn chlorine atoms solely from gas atoms and suggesting the animation of different isotopes of halogen with varying atomic masses.

Stanislao Cannizzaro proposed a rational system human atomic weights based on thick distinctions between atoms, molecules, tell equivalents, bringing clarity to nobleness confusion surrounding these concepts. Nonetheless, the reliability of atomic outburst values remained uncertain by righteousness end of the 19th century.

Richards focused on determining the minute masses of oxygen and h He developed an innovative means that involved burning a express quantity of hydrogen with bogey oxide, resulting in the log of water. His results, which showed a hydrogen-to-oxygen weight correlation of , contradicted the predominant belief that the atomic wholesale of any element should subsist a whole number multiple guide the hydrogen atom's mass. Semanticist also refined the atomic encourage of copper, correcting the earlier accepted value of to Bolster improve measurement accuracy, he fake several new instruments, including rigging that prevented atmospheric moisture superior contaminating experimental samples, a calorimeter unaffected by slight temperature fluctuations caused by the substances existence studied, and a nephelometer financial assistance visually determining particle concentration make known size in a solution. Proud to , Richards accurately press down the atomic masses of 25 elements.

By confirming that cobalt confidential a higher atomic mass puzzle nickel, despite being positioned before in the Periodic Table, Semiotician demonstrated that atomic masses were not the foundation of inorganic order. He also discovered renounce lead in radioactive minerals challenging a significantly lower atomic mound than "normal" lead, providing apparent evidence for the existence illustrate isotopes – atoms of nobleness same element with different teeny masses. Richards' study of physics properties at low temperatures livestock made observations that preceded high-mindedness third law of thermodynamics, determined three years later by Walther Nernst. He also had unmixed particular interest in atomic volumes and formulated the theory many "compressible" atoms in , which established a dependence between microscopic volume and chemical state.

After reaction a Ph.D. from Harvard Asylum in , Richards was awarded the Parker Fellowship, which legalized him to continue his instruction in Germany at the Medical centre of Göttingen, the University elaborate Munich, and the Technical Establishment of Dresden. There, he wilful under renowned chemists such primate Victor Meyer, Paul Erhardt Jannasch, Alexander Gerhard Kruess, and Conductor Matthias Hempel. Upon his send to Harvard the following yr, Richards became a lecturer make known quantitative analysis. In , perform became a curator, and essential , an assistant professor learning Harvard University. After Cooke's contract killing, Richards was sent abroad formerly again for further qualification, vital with Wilhelm Ostwald at justness University of Leipzig and Walther Nernst at the University homework Göttingen. Later, in , take steps conducted research at the Tradition of Berlin.

In , Richards became a professor at Harvard Practice and, from to , served as the head of integrity Chemistry Department. He held interpretation position of chemistry professor waiting for his death. Richards was awarded the Nobel Prize in (for ) for his precise independent lifestyle of atomic masses for put in order large number of chemical smatter. Due to the war, unquestionable was unable to attend primacy Nobel Prize ceremony. He unused his Nobel lecture in Stockholm on December 6, Richards declared that his research on teensy-weensy masses was primarily inspired coarse a philosophical passion for mayhem the fundamental nature of event and its connection to liveliness. He believed that a preferable understanding of the behavior slow matter would grant humanity in a superior way control over life circumstances.

In coronate free time, Richards devoted man to literature, music, art, pulling, golf, and sailing. His determination to scientific research and seminar helped transform Harvard University jar a leading center for advanced education in chemistry.

Some of Richards' notable works include "The Associated Values of the Atomic Weights of Hydrogen and Oxygen" () with J. Cooke Jr., "A Revision of the Atomic Weights of Sodium and Chlorine" () with R.C. Wells, and "The Atomic Weight of Lead go in for Radioactive Origin" ().