Ronald George Wreyford Norrish

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish - Chemists, Family and Personal Life

Violet FieldHome › BritishRonald George Wreyford NorrishNovember 9, 1897274 views

0 based on 0 rates

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's Personal Details

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish was a British Chemist, who received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1967

InformationDetail
BirthdayNovember 9, 1897
Died onJune 7, 1978
NationalityBritish
FamousScientists, Chemists
SpousesAnnie Smith
Universities
  • University of Cambridge (BA
  • PhD)
Birth PlaceCambridge, United Kingdom
GenderMale
FatherHerbert Norrish
MotherAmy Norrish
Sun SignScorpio
Born inCambridge, United Kingdom
Famous asChemist
Died at Age80

// Famous Chemists

Henry Cavendish

Henry Cavendish

Henry Cavendish was a theoretical chemist and physicist, renowned for discovery of hydrogen and calculation of the mass of earth. To know more about his childhood, profile, timeline and career read on

Walter Kohn

Walter Kohn

Nobel Laureate Walter Kohn was an Austrian-born American theoretical chemist and physicist. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

Jabir Ibn Hayyan

Jabir Ibn Hayyan

Jabir Ibn Hayyan was a medieval era polymath. Check out this biography to know about his life, works and achievements.

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's photo

Who is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish?

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish was a British Chemist, who received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1967 for his work on the studies of extremely fast chemical reactions. He was a co-recipient of the award along with George Porter and Mafred Eigen. From 1949 to 1965, Norrish worked in collaboration with his former pupil George Porter in the development of ‘flash photolysis’ and kinetic spectroscopy for the investigation and study of very fast reactions. Norrish’s contribution to chemistry became significant and obtained worldwide recognition when he made the most remarkable correction to the Draper’s law. John Draper had proposed that the amount of dynamic rate of photochemical change is directly proportional to the product of the intensity of light and time. But Norrish proved that it is proportional to the square root of the light intensity. Norrish was a man of immense energy. He enjoyed meeting people from other countries and different walks of life and also loved to travel to different places around the world.

// Famous Scientists

Juliane Koepcke

Juliane Koepcke

Juliane Koepcke is a German-Peruvian biologist, who was the lone survivor among the 92 passengers and crew of the ill-fated LANSA Flight 508 that crashed in the Peruvian rainforest on 24 December 1971. Know more about her life in this biography.

Henry Cavendish

Henry Cavendish

Henry Cavendish was a theoretical chemist and physicist, renowned for discovery of hydrogen and calculation of the mass of earth. To know more about his childhood, profile, timeline and career read on

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a Russian rocket scientist and a pioneer of astronautics. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, family, personal life, career, achievements, etc.

Childhood & Early Life

Norrish was born in Cambridge on 9th November 1897 to Herbert Norrish and Amy Norrish. His father was a native of Crediton, Devonshire and moved to Cambridge to start his pharmacy.

He did his early schooling at a local boarding school and went on for high school at the Perse Grammar School in 1910 upon receiving a scholarship.

In 1915, he obtained a scholarship through entrance examination and entered the Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in 1915 to pursue Natural Sciences.

In 1916, Norrish was assigned military duty by the Royal Field Artillery for service in France during the World War I.

He was taken prisoner of war in 1918 by the German forces to Germany and stayed there until the rest of the war.

He was repatriated to Cambridge in 1919. He continued taking his course from Emmanuel College. This minor break in studies did not prevent him from obtaining a double first rank in Natural Sciences. He became a research fellow there after 1925.

Career

Norrish was inspired by Eric Redeal under whom he took up his first research work for the study of Photochemistry.

In 1930, he was appointed a lecturer in the department of physical chemistry in the University of Cambridge. In 1937, he was promoted to the post of professor.

In 1965, he retired as a Professor Emeritus from the Cambridge University.

Major Works

At the Cambridge University, Norrish had the opportunity to work with some highly intuitive students and with them he carried out an extensive research in the field of Photochemistry and reaction kinetics, including combustion and polymerization.

Unfortunately his research work came to a halt with the start of the Second World War in 1940. However, he continued to lead the department and teach during that period. He was actively working about his research ideas and collaborated with government committees.

In 1945, after the World War II came to an end, he continued with his research once again about transients in short lived chemical reactions.

From 1949 to 1965, Norrish worked in collaboration with his student, George Porter (who is presently a professor) on ‘Flash Photolysis and ‘Kinetic Spectroscopy’, the most powerful methods till date for studying all aspects of a chemical reaction.

His other scientific interests were in the areas of mechanism of chain reactions including combustion and formation of plastics.

He was an unusually skilled researcher who always gave an elaborate theoretical interpretation of his results.

One of his major accomplishments was the ‘Norrish Reaction’.

After his retirement in 1965, he continued to work as an industrial consultant and with individual students.

Awards & Achievements

Norrish was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1936.

For his development of Flash Photolysis, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1967 along with George Porter and Manfred Eigen for their study on fast chemical reactions.

He was also a recipient of several other awards such as Raphael Meldola Medal (1926), Davy Medal (1958), Bernard Lewis Gold Medal (1964) and IET Faraday Medal (1965).

He was member of several prestigious societies such as Royal Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Polish Chemical Society, British Association for Advancement of Science and New York Academy of Sciences.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1926, Norrish married Annie Smith who was a lecturer in the University of Wales in Cardiff. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Norrish died on 7th June 1978, at the age of 81 in Cambridge.

// Famous Scorpio Celebrities peoples

Teddy Zois

Teddy Zois

Teddy Zois is an American Musical.ly star and social media personality. Let’s have a look at his family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, and fun facts.

Kyla Cole

Kyla Cole

Kyla Cole is a Slovak glamour model and former television presenter. This biography profiles her childhood, life, modeling career, achievements and timeline.

Dominic Tracy

Dominic Tracy

Dominic Tracy is an American YouTube Star. Let’s take a look at his family & personal life including age, date of birth, girlfriends, net worth, and fun facts.

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's awards

YearNameAward

Other

0FRS (1936)
0 Davy Medal (1958)
0 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1967)

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish biography timelines

  • // 9th Nov 1897
    Norrish was born in Cambridge on 9th November 1897 to Herbert Norrish and Amy Norrish. His father was a native of Crediton, Devonshire and moved to Cambridge to start his pharmacy.
  • // 1910
    He did his early schooling at a local boarding school and went on for high school at the Perse Grammar School in 1910 upon receiving a scholarship.
  • // 1915
    In 1915, he obtained a scholarship through entrance examination and entered the Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in 1915 to pursue Natural Sciences.
  • // 1916
    In 1916, Norrish was assigned military duty by the Royal Field Artillery for service in France during the World War I.
  • // 1918
    He was taken prisoner of war in 1918 by the German forces to Germany and stayed there until the rest of the war.
  • // 1919
    He was repatriated to Cambridge in 1919. He continued taking his course from Emmanuel College. This minor break in studies did not prevent him from obtaining a double first rank in Natural Sciences. He became a research fellow there after 1925.
  • // 1926
    In 1926, Norrish married Annie Smith who was a lecturer in the University of Wales in Cardiff. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.
  • // 1930 To 1937
    In 1930, he was appointed a lecturer in the department of physical chemistry in the University of Cambridge. In 1937, he was promoted to the post of professor.
  • // 1936
    Norrish was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1936.
  • // 1940
    Unfortunately his research work came to a halt with the start of the Second World War in 1940. However, he continued to lead the department and teach during that period. He was actively working about his research ideas and collaborated with government committees.
  • // 1945
    In 1945, after the World War II came to an end, he continued with his research once again about transients in short lived chemical reactions.
  • // 1949 To 1965
    From 1949 to 1965, Norrish worked in collaboration with his student, George Porter (who is presently a professor) on ‘Flash Photolysis and ‘Kinetic Spectroscopy’, the most powerful methods till date for studying all aspects of a chemical reaction.
  • // 1965
    In 1965, he retired as a Professor Emeritus from the Cambridge University.
  • // 1965
    After his retirement in 1965, he continued to work as an industrial consultant and with individual students.
  • // 1967
    For his development of Flash Photolysis, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1967 along with George Porter and Manfred Eigen for their study on fast chemical reactions.
  • // 7th Jun 1978
    Norrish died on 7th June 1978, at the age of 81 in Cambridge.

// Famous British peoples

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.

Sophie Reade

Sophie Reade

Sophie Victoria Reade is a British model and reality show star. Let’s take a look at her family and personal life, including her age, birthday, boyfriends, and some interesting facts.

Josh Temple

Josh Temple

Check out all that you wanted to know about Josh Temple (Slogoman), the famous British YouTube Personality; his birthday, his family and personal life, his girlfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Yammy Xox

Yammy Xox

Check out all that you wanted to know about Yammy Xox, the famous British YouTube Personality; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Grian

Grian

Grian is an English YouTube gamer and social media influencer. Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Benjamin Atkinson

Benjamin Atkinson

Benjamin Atkinson is the son of the world-renowned British actor and comedian, Rowan Atkinson. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, personal life, including his age, birthday, etc.

Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's FAQ

  • What is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish birthday?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish was born at 1897-11-09

  • When was Ronald George Wreyford Norrish died?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish was died at 1978-06-07

  • Where was Ronald George Wreyford Norrish died?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish was died in Cambridge, United Kingdom

  • Which age was Ronald George Wreyford Norrish died?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish was died at age 80

  • Where is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's birth place?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish was born in Cambridge, United Kingdom

  • What is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish nationalities?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's nationalities is British

  • Who is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish spouses?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's spouses is Annie Smith

  • What was Ronald George Wreyford Norrish universities?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish studied at University of Cambridge (BA, PhD)

  • Who is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's father?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's father is Herbert Norrish

  • Who is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's mother?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's mother is Amy Norrish

  • What is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish's sun sign?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish is Scorpio

  • How famous is Ronald George Wreyford Norrish?

    Ronald George Wreyford Norrish is famouse as Chemist