In the twentieth century, a whole galaxy of brilliant scientists emerged who created the basis of modern physics. Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Ernest Rutherford. It was Rutherford who created the planetary model of the atom and proved its truth.
In 1871, the famous physicist Ehrenst Rutherford was born in New Zealand. The British researcher is rightly considered the father of nuclear physics. In 1911, he proved the existence in an atom of a nucleus with a positive charge and particles with a negative charge around it using the experiment of alpha-particle scattering. Based on the results of the experiment, he created a model of the atom.
Physics education and career
Ernest had an amazing memory. He graduated from elementary school, earning 580 points out of 600. Having received 50 pounds, he continued his studies at Nelson College. From the first days of studying at Canterbury College, he was carried away by science.
In 1892, Rutherford wrote the work "Magnetisation of iron in high-frequency discharges." He also developed and created a magnetic detector. After graduating from university in 1894, he taught in high school for a year. The most talented young people living in the colonies were presented with the World's Fair Scholarship, allowing them to leave for England for further education. Rutherford also received such a scholarship.
He wanted to take his exam paper in physics and acquire a master's degree to study radio wave detector. But did not receive funding from the UK government post at the Cavendish Laboratory.
Fundamental physical discoveries
Ernest Rutherford began work as a tutor, because he did not even have money for food. In 1898 he discovers alpha and beta rays. The first ones penetrate for a short distance, the second ones - for a long distance. Soon Rutherford discovers that radioactive gas emanates from radioactive thorium, which he named "emanation". In the course of subsequent research, it turned out that other radioactive elements also emit emanations.
Ernest made two well-grounded conclusions, which formed the basis of theoretical physics of elementary particles.
Any elements that emit radiation will emit alpha and beta rays.
The radiation activity of all substances decreases after a certain time.
Based on these conclusions, it could be assumed that all radioactive substances are included in one group of atoms and they can be classified according to the period of decrease in their radioactivity. It was impossible for Rutherford's opponents to convince the researcher that alpha particles and helium nuclei are one and the same. His theory was confirmed when it was discovered that helium, the supposed alpha particle, is contained in radium.
In the summer of the same year, Ernest advanced in a newly discovered study of the phenomenon of radioactivity in substances. In the fall, he takes up the post of professor at McGill University. For excellent substantiated research on the decomposition of elements of radioactive components, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Proof of the atomic structure of the universe
Having received a well-deserved award, the scientist began to study the most interesting phenomenon that occurred when alpha particles attack a layer of the thinnest gold metal. In the atomic model, protons and electrons are equally located in the atom and should not have changed the path of the alpha particles much. Rutherford saw that some of the particles deviated from their trajectory much more than expected.
Thinking about this, the scientist soon built another model of the atom. The new simulator resembled a miniature model of the solar system. Protons (particles with a positive charge) were located in the center of the atom, which was not light, and electrons (particles with a negative charge) were located around the nucleus, inaccessible to it. Later, Rutherford's theory became proven and accepted by everyone.
Worldwide recognition and awards
Initially, Ernest Rutherford was elected a member of the Royal Society of London, and in 1925 the physicist became its president. He was the president of the Institute of Physics from 1931 to 1933. On February 12, 1914, at Buckingham Palace, he was knighted by the king and accepted a title of nobility.
Military career
During World War I, the physicist became a member of the civil committee of the Office of Invention and Research of the British Admiralty. He investigated the issue of finding the coordinates of submarines. At the end of the war, he returned to his beloved laboratory. In 1919 he made a tremendous breakthrough in science. In the process of studying the structures of hydrogen atoms, a signal appeared on the detector, which is explained by the fact that the nucleus of an atom of the element ceased to stand still due to the push of an alpha particle.
In 1933, worried about the policies of Adolf Hitler, Ernest Rutherford took over as president of the Academic Aid Council, created to help refugees in Germany.
Personal life
In 1900, for a short time, Ernest Rutherford went to New Zealand and unexpectedly fell in love with a certain Mary Georgina Newton, to whom he later even made an offer. She was the daughter of the owner of the private boarding house in which he lived. They got married, and on March 30, 1901, their only daughter, Eileen Mary, was born to a happy husband and wife. She married renowned astrophysicist Ralph Fowler and passed away at 29. Almost before his death, Rutherford was completely healthy and died in Cambridge in 1937. subsequently a short unexpected illness.
He was buried next to the graves of Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.
