Robert Millikan is an American physicist. The Nobel Prize laureate for his work on the photoelectric effect and the change in the charge of an electron was engaged in the study of cosmic rays. He was a member of the US Academy of Sciences.
Robert Andrews Millikan's father was a clergyman, his mother worked as a dean at the college. Two more brothers and three sisters of the future scientist grew up in their family.
Choosing a path
The biography of the future physicist began in 1868. He was born on March 22 in the city of Morrison. When Robert was seven, the adults decided to move to the small town of Macuokeut. There the boy graduated from school. I decided to get further education in college. The choice fell on Oberlin, recommended by her mother.
During his studies, the student was especially interested in the ancient Greek language and mathematics. Then he attended a course in physics. Soon the young man received an offer to teach this discipline. College Preparatory School Students. The work lasted two years. In 1891 Millikan received his bachelor's degree, in 1893 he became a master's degree.
Oberlin's management sent the documents of the talented student to Columbia University. Robert was admitted to the university and provided with a scholarship. The physicist-inventor Michael Pupin began working with the new student.
The promising young man's summer passed in his studies at the University of Chicago. There he studied with the scientist Albert Michelson. It was then that Millikan became convinced that the study of physics and the conduct of experiments was his life's work.
Confession
In 1895, he defended his doctoral dissertation on the polarization of light and received his doctorate. In 1896, Robert began a trip to Europe. The young physicist became even more confident in his desire to engage in scientific work. After returning to his homeland, Millikan became an assistant to Michelsen at the University of Chicago.
For 12 years he was engaged in scientific activities and wrote the country's first physics textbooks for American students. They have been trained for half a century. In 1907, Robert became an assistant professor, in 1910 he was awarded the title of professor of physics.
In 1908, Millikan began to devote most of his time to research. The young scientist was interested in the recently discovered electrons. He was studying the magnitude of the charge. Robert Andrews calculated the magnitude of the influence of the electronic field on the etheric cloud. The experiment he carried out made it possible to create a method of a charged drop.
To improve Wilson's experimental setup, Millikan used a more powerful battery to create a stronger electric field. He managed to isolate several charged water drops located between the metal plates.
When the field was activated, the droplets slowly began to move upward; when the field was turned off, a slow descent under the influence of gravity began. Examining each drop by activation and deactivation took 45 seconds. After that, the water evaporated.
New experiences
In 1909, the scientist determined that the charges remain integral and multiplicity relative to the fundamental value. It was proved that the electron is a fundamental particle with the same values of masses and charges. Millikan eventually figured out that instead of water, it was better to experiment with oil to increase the study time to 4.5 hours.
Such a replacement made it possible to get rid of errors and inaccuracies of measurement and better study the processes. In 1913, the physicist proved his conclusions. The results of his research remained relevant for 7 decades. Small adjustments were made only by modern scientists using the most modern equipment.
Millikan also studied the photoelectric effect. During the experiments, electrons were knocked out of the metal with the help of light. The famous Albert Einstein was interested in this question as early as 1905. However, he only generalized the hypothesis of particles of light, photons, proposed by Planck. Most of the scientific world did not believe in Einstein's conclusions.
Millikan began testing his ideas in 1912. He created a new setup to exclude random factors from affecting the accuracy of the results. The end results of the experiments completely proved the correctness of Einstein's conclusions. Work began to determine the value of Planck's constant.
The results of the research were published in 1912. In 1923 the scientist received the Nobel Prize. The physicist was engaged in research of the electromagnetic spectrum, Brownian motion. The experiments brought Robert worldwide recognition. Industrialists were interested in the results of the work. Millikan was asked to advise Western Electric on vacuum equipment. Until 1926, the physicist remained an expert in the patent office.
Family and vocation
The astronomer George Hale offered a job in Washington, DC. Millikan headed the research of the National Council at the Academy of Sciences.
During the First World War, a physicist in the signal troops was involved in coordinating and establishing contacts between the actions of engineers and scientists. After the war, the physicist briefly returned to Chicago, but then went to California Institute of Technology as head of the electronic physics laboratory.
Over the years, Robert Henrus took over the leadership of the institution. His task was to transform CalTech into the most powerful university in the world. He invited the most famous professors of the country to work. The scientist worked at the institute until his death on December 19, 1953.
Managed to establish Millikan and personal life. His chosen one was Greta Blanchard, a graduate of the University of Chicago. In 1902, young people became husband and wife. The family had three children. All sons chose scientific activity.
One of the craters on the Moon is named after the famous physicist. Millikan is awarded the Legion of Honor. He was an Honorary Member of 25 universities and 21 academies.
