Today (March 31, 1890) is the birthday of Nobel Prize-winning physicist William Lawrence Bragg, who invented the X-ray spectrometer.
William Lawrence Bragg was born on March 31, 1890, in Adelaide,
Australia. Although their family is of English descent, his father, William
Henry Bragg, was born and raised in London while living in Australia due to
work. His mother's name was Quentin Bragg. He has a brother and a sister. In
1921 he married Alice Grace Hopkinson. The couple had four children, two boys
and two girls. Known as 'Billy', he was very active from an early age and was
interested in mathematics and science. When he was five, he fell from his
tricycle and broke his leg.
By the time Willem Rontgen discovered the X-ray, his father, William
Henry Bragg, had detected and treated his fracture. This is the first show in
Australia to use X-rays. It is his custom to store clinkers and nests whenever
he goes to the beach. While doing so he unexpectedly discovered a new fish. The
fish is now known by its name 'Sepla Braggil'. He was interested not only in
science but also in painting, gardening and literature.
He had an intellect that transcended the nature of his age in the study.
He joined the University of Adelaide when he was fifteen. In 1908 he graduated
first class in mathematics and became a graduate. In 1909 he went to England
and joined the University of Cambridge. At the same time, his family moved to
Leeds, England. He joined Trinity College as an outstanding mathematician. He
received a very high scholarship. He was in bed suffering from pneumonia at the
time of writing the exam. However, his father encouraged him to focus on physics.
He graduated in physics in 1911 with a degree.
After graduating from Cambridge University in 1912, he began his career
at the Cavendish Laboratory. Then did the X-rays have a waveform? Or particles?
The debate had begun. Father and son discussed this in many ways. During the
study of X-rays and the types of X-rays of Max Van Lau, they found answers to
many questions. It was realized that these rays act in the form of waves and
particles in some ways. Continuing research led to the development of Bragg's
Law. In November 1912 these studies were published in report form. After
researching crystals with X-rays, the two published a book together in 1915
entitled X-rays and Crystal Structure.
During World War I he served as a technical consultant in the military in France. His younger brother 'Bob' was shot dead in that battle. It was while he was on the job that he received the news that he had won the Nobel Prize. In 1919 he was appointed professor of physics at Victoria University in Manchester. He remained in office until 1937. After World War II he founded the International Union of Crystallography and served as its early president. Like his father, he lectured on science to many boys at the Royal Institution. From 1937-to 38 he was the director of the National Laboratory. In 1938 and 1954 he worked as a Cavendish Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Cambridge. In 1953 he was instrumental in discovering the structure of DNA. Francis Crick and James Watson were involved in the study under him. Bragg was nominated for the 1962 Nobel Prize by Crick, Watson and Wilkins. He served as President of the Royal Society in 1954 and 1966.
Later, Lawrence focused on silicates, silicate chemistry, metallurgy, and protein chemistry, as well as geometric relations that could stimulate progress. He set up a private team at the Royal Institute to study X-rays of protein molecules and their problems. He was greatly admired in his field of research for his excellent lectures and his work ethic.
The chemical compound sodium chloride does not receive the molecules sodium chloride. However, he found that sodium ions and chloride ions are located in a certain order. This discovery caused a revolution in chemistry. He studied the atoms in crystals. His father developed an X-ray spectrometer. He also explained the radiation of X-rays. Both father and son were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1915 for these discoveries. He was 25 when he received the Nobel Prize. The youngest person to receive the Nobel Prize was Bragg. He was awarded the Mathews Medal, the Royal Medal, the Copley Medal, the Hooks Medal, the title of Knight and the Companion of Honor.
He authored a book on the crystal structure of X-rays, the structure of
silicates, and the molecular atomic structure of minerals. Bragg passed away on
July 1, 1971, at the age of 81. Postage stamps were issued in his honour. The
Gold Medal in his name has been awarded annually at the University Of Australia since 1992 to outstanding physics students.
Information: Ramesh, Assistant Professor of Physics, Nehru Memorial
College, Puthanampatti.
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