Here is a list of some of the most famous American chemists. In no particular order, these men and women contributed to the fields of chemistry and physics. Learn more about them by browsing the links below! You may be surprised at just how many famous American chemists we know today!
This list includes such individuals as:
- Linus Pauling
- Irving Langmuir
- Friedrich Kekule
- Daniel Rutherford and many others.
Linus Pauling
In his early years, Linus Pauling showed a keen interest in science which made him one of the most famous American chemists. He collected insects and rock minerals from his locality. He soon discovered the wonders of chemistry. When a teacher named Lloyd Jeffress introduced him to the subject.
They became friends, and Pauling’s interest in chemistry and physics increased. Later on, he enrolled in the Oregon Agricultural College, where he taught analytical chemistry. His passion for science was further sparked when he met Ava Helen Miller, a woman he eventually married.
Pauling was fascinated with chemistry and built his own lab in the basement of his home. During his teenage years, he continued to study and refine his scientific theories, searching for order in the chaotic world of science. In addition to his research, he published his first paper on crystal structure. His first research paper on crystal structure . It was published after only three months. After completing his doctorate in 1925, he studied abroad in Europe.
After graduating from college, he turned his attention to the application of his findings in medicine. He applied his scientific training in molecular biology. Then focused on understanding the structure of proteins. His studies led to the discovery of sickle cell anemia and the development of synthetic plasma. He also developed the alpha helix model of protein structure and pioneered the use of tinker toys to simulate the process.
Ultimately, his work led to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. This discovery was the key to unlocking the genetic code. Pauling’s life was not without controversy. He was an exemplary chemist, biologist, and activist who fought the political and military establishment. His controversial theories influenced several generations of scientists.
Irving Langmuir
Irving Langmuir is one of the famous American chemists. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 31, 1881. He studied chemistry and physics in Europe. This was before taking his first job in the U.S. at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.
Despite working long hours for low pay. He developed an interest in science and started to take notes in his bedroom. At age eleven, he had his eyesight corrected. Which cause him to be more interested in the natural world.
In his retirement years, Langmuir turned to atmospheric science. A lifelong weather enthusiast, he was also an avid amateur sailor and a talented amateur pilot. His research in atmospheric science included studying windrows, liquid particles in the air, the nucleation of ice crystals in supercooled clouds, and seeding clouds with solid carbon dioxide particles.
After graduating from Columbia University’s School of Mines. He joined the General Electric Research Laboratory in New York and earned a Ph.D. under Walther Nernst. Lamgmuir later went on to work as an associate director for General Electric’s research department. He also contributed to the development of the incandescent light bulb, which he worked on with American quantum physicist Lewi Tonks.
After earning his doctorate, Langmuir married Marion Mersereau. He adopted two children and was close to many of his relatives. Arthur Langmuir was a successful industrial chemist. His enthusiasm for science was passed down to Irving. He also had many varied interests and enjoyed the Boy Scouts, aviation, and music. In fact, Langmuir was a friend of Charles Lindbergh and Leopold Stokowski.
Friedrich Kekule
After completing his PhD in 1856 at the University of Heidelberg. Kekule returned to Germany and began a teaching career. He taught at the Universities of Heidelberg and Ghent, Belgium. Then he taught at the University of Bonn, where he eventually became professor. His efforts were rewarded with a doctorate and nobility in Germany. In addition, Kekule’s work in organic chemistry resulted in new discoveries. He also taught at the University of Ghent in Belgium, where he taught in French.
In Germany, Kekule studied at the Darmstadt Polytechnicum. He also spent time lathe turning and plaster modelling. Afterward, he returned to Giessen and studied under Regnault, Fremy, and Wurtz. He was particularly attracted to Gerhardt, whose lectures he attended in Paris. After he left Montpellier to take a position at a university in Germany. He helped the professor to conduct experiments in chemistry.
After graduating from college, he moved to Germany to earn his doctorate. He spent a year in Switzerland and two years in London. In 1857, Kekule published a paper on the tetravalency of carbon. Six months later, Archibald Scott Couper published similar results. In 1858, Kekule was appointed as full professor at the University of Ghent. In 1867, he was called to Bonn.
Kekule’s private life was somewhat unsteady. His first wife died during childbirth, and his second marriage failed. He was raised to hereditary Prussian nobility and adopted the aristocratic surname of Kekule von Stradonitz a year before his death. Kekule’s death, however, came at the age of sixty-six. However, his private life continued to be turbulent, but his contributions to organic chemistry were significant.
Famous modern chemists
During his career, the famous American chemists Daniel Rutherford and James Chadwick published many works. They made many advances in the field of chemistry. The work of Rutherford was influential in the development of modern atomic theory. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was one of his many accolades. He is also widely known for developing a method of measuring the concentration of different chemical elements and compounds.
Although less famous than his brother, Daniel Rutherford is credited with discovering nitrogen. Rutherford was influenced by his uncle. The famous novelist Sir Walter Scott, who had studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. His nephew, Sir Walter Scott, also made significant contributions to science. He was a close friend of both men. However, his contribution to chemistry is perhaps the most significant, since he discovered nitrogen.
The British-born chemist Joseph Black also contributed to the discovery of carbon dioxide. Despite Rutherford’s discoveries, Black was unable to determine the quality of residual air, which he called “noxious air”.
A collaboration between Ernest Rutherford and Frederick Soddy led to the discovery of atomic fission, and he and Rutherford also developed the “disintegration theory” of radioactivity. This theory considers radioactive phenomena as atomic processes and is backed by a vast amount of experimental evidence. Moreover, it establishes the fixed position of new radioactive substances. In addition, he was knighted in 1914.
Born in Scotland, Daniel Rutherford was a physician, chemist, and botanist. He was the first to discover the elements nitrogen and oxygen. In 1772, Rutherford became the first to isolate nitrogen and then describe its properties. A few years later, he published the first report on nitrogen. Its chemistry is credited with helping humans live healthier lives. It is also the source of many new drugs.
Famous chemists and their discoveries
Alice Ball was a famous American chemist. She was born in Seattle, Washington. Ball graduated from Seattle High School in 1910. She studied chemistry at the University of Washington. Ball obtained her first bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry in 1912. Her second one in the science of pharmacy in 1914.
That same year, Ball published a 10-page article with pharmacy instructor Williams Dehn titled, “Benzoylations in Ether Solution.” Her research led to the development of the first effective treatment for leprosy. Before she had the opportunity to do so, leprosy afflicted thousands of people around the world. While it was considered a man’s world at the time. Women were often denied the proper recognition for their work. A growing number of efforts are taking place to write Ball’s name into leprosy history.
Alice Ball, famous American chemist extraordinaire, was born on 24 July 1892 in Seattle, Washington. As a young girl, she was immersed in fascinating chemical processes. Her grandfather , a daguerreotypist, used mercury vapor to print photographs on iodine-sensitized metal plates. At only 23 years old, she was the first African-American woman to receive a master’s degree in pharmacy.
After completing her master’s degree, Ball was hired to teach chemistry at the University of Hawaii. As the only African-American woman to teach chemistry at the University of Hawaii, Ball’s work was invaluable. The study of kava, which is used to treat leprosy, attracted Dr. Harry T. Hollmann, a public health officer in Hawaii. In 1921, Hollmann had been looking for a cure for leprosy and was interested in a treatment for leprosy.
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