Famous Chemists - List of Famous Chemists - page 3
Chemists are the scientists who specialize in the field of chemistry. They investigate the chemical nature of substances and how they behave under different conditions to search for new knowledge. Compounds, both organic and inorganic, are examined to determine their chemical and physical properties, composition, structure, and reactivity. Chemists try to decode the details of the chemical molecules and their component atoms. The knowledge gained through research is used to understand the composition and properties of unknown substances, and is used in practical applications in industries. Since chemicals play a vital role in virtually all types of industries, chemists are employed in various industrial establishments, especially those dealing in plastics, medicines, pharmaceuticals, and chemical industries. They also work in research and in university teaching positions. Newer discoveries and findings in the field of chemistry lead to the development of better products, processes and analytical methods. Chemistry is a vast field divided into several overlapping sub-branches: analytical chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, etc. Chemists primarily work in laboratories and use a variety of techniques in their research like spectroscopy, chromatography, and spectrophotometry. Read on to discover about the life and works of various famous chemists, through their biographies and timelines, from all over the world.
The Most Famous Chemists | |||
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Name | Birthday | Nationality | Bio |
Henry Cavendish | October 10, 1731 | British | Henry Cavendish was a theoretical chemist and physicist, renowned for discovery of hydrogen and calculation of the mass of earth |
Walter Kohn | March 9, 1923 | Austrian | Nobel Laureate Walter Kohn was an Austrian-born American theoretical chemist and physicist |
Jabir Ibn Hayyan | 721 | Iranian | Jabir Ibn Hayyan was a medieval era polymath |
Stephanie Kwolek | July 31, 1923 | American | Stephanie Kwolek was an American chemist whose research work led to the development of the synthetic fiber, Kevlar |
Amedeo Avogadro | August 9, 1776 | Italian | Amedeo Avogadro was an Italian scientist who formulated what is now known as Avogadro's law |
Humphry Davy | December 17, 1778 | British | Sir Humphry Davy was a British chemist who made major contributions to the discoveries of chlorine and iodine |
Willard Libby | December 17, 1908 | American | Willard Frank Libby was an American physical chemist who was awarded the ‘Nobel Prize’ in Chemistry in 1960 |
Mario J. Molina | March 19, 1943 | Mexican | Mario Molina is a Nobel Prize winning chemist from Mexico who co-developed the theory of ozone depletion due to CFCs |
Robert Bunsen | March 30, 1811 | German | Robert Bunsen was a German chemist who developed the Bunsen burner with Peter Desaga |
Marie Curie | November 7, 1867 | Polish | Marie Curie was a Physicist and Chemist, who was world renowned for her work on radioactivity |
Dudley R. Herschbach
Dudley Robert Herschbach is an American chemist and educator who won the prestigious Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1986
Henry Taube
Henry Taube was a Canadian-born American chemist who received the 1983 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Roald Hoffmann
Roald Hoffmann is an American theoretical chemist who was the joint recipient of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Robert Bruce Merrifield
Robert Bruce Merrifield was an American biochemist who won the 1984 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Robert Burns Woodward
Robert Burns Woodward was a Nobel Prize winning American chemist known for his work on complex natural products
Thomas Cech
Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who was jointly awarded the ‘Nobel Prize in Chemistry’ in 1989
Elias James Corey
Elias James Corey is a distinguished American organic chemist who was awarded the ‘Nobel Prize in Chemistry’ in 1990.
Peter Mitchell
Peter Mitchell was a British chemist who won the 1978 Nobel Prize for Chemistry