John Cockcroft

@Physicists, Family and Childhood ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ John Cockcroft was a British Physicist who shared the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics with Ernest Walton for their work on splitting the atomic nucleus British University Of Manchester Scientists Physicists Gemini Celebrities John Cockcroft was a British Physicist who shared the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics with Ernest Walton for their work on splitting the atomic nucleus. Born in a family of cotton mill owners, he was a good student and chose to pursue scientific research. After having completed his school education, he started studying mathematics in Manchester University but he had to cut it short in order to contribute towards the war effort during the First World War. After the end of the war, he resumed his studies and studied electrical engineering at the College of Technology under Miles Walker. Thereafter, he took the Mathematical Tripos and then worked under Lord Rutherford in the Cavendish Laboratory. During his stint at the Cavendish Laboratory, he collaborated with another research scholar, Ernest Walton, and together they succeeded in transmuting lithium and boron by high energy protons. Their research was instrumental in the development of nuclear power. Subsequently, he went on to head the Canadian Atomic Energy project as well as the Atomic Energy Research Establishment. Throughout his career, Cockcroft worked in a variety of capacities for both his government and is understandably regarded as one of the most important figures in atomic research in the United Kingdom. Understandably, he won plenty of accolades for his stellar scientific career.

Personal Details

Birthday: May 27, 1897 Died on: September 18, 1967 Nationality: British Famous: University Of Manchester, Scientists, Physicists Known as: Sir John Douglas Cockcroft Universities: University Of Manchester St John's College Cambridge University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology Victoria University of Manchester University of Cambridge University of Manchester Notable Alumnis: University Of Manchester Information Detail Birthday May 27, 1897 Died on September 18, 1967 Nationality British Famous University Of Manchester, Scientists, Physicists Known as Sir John Douglas Cockcroft Universities University Of Manchester St John's College Cambridge University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology Victoria University of Manchester University of Cambridge University of Manchester Notable Alumnis University Of Manchester Birth Place Todmorden Religion Christianity Gender Male Sun Sign Gemini Born in Todmorden Famous as Physicist Died at Age 70

Todmorden

John Cockcroft born at Unsplash Birth Place

John Cockcroft married Eunice Elizabeth Crabtree in 1925. The couple had five children; four daughters and a son. Unsplash Personal Life

He died on 18 September 1967, at the age of 70, in Cambridge, England. Unsplash Personal Life

John Douglas Cockcroft was born on 27 May 1897, in Todmorden, England, to John Arthur Cockcroft and his wife Annie Marie Cockcroft. His father, like his ancestors, was the owner of a cotton mill. John Cockcroft had three brothers. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He attended the Todmorden Secondary School in his home town for a period of five years starting from 1909. At that school, he was taught by Luke Sutcliffe, a teacher of physics at the school who also went on to teach Nobel Laureate Geoffrey Wilkinson. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

In 1914, he enrolled in Manchester University to study mathematics but after a year he had to contribute towards the war effort in relation to the First World War. He served in the capacity of a signaller at the Royal Field Artillery and returned only after he had rendered services for three years. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

In 1918, he returned to Manchester after serving in the Royal Field Artillery and the following year enrolled in the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to study electrical engineering. After studying engineering for a year, he did an apprenticeship at Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

John Cockcroft won the prestigious 1851 Exhibition Scholarship awarded by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and went to study at St John’s College, University of Cambridge. Unsplash Career

He studied mathematics and in 1924, took the Mathematical Tripos. Subsequently, he started working under Lord Rutherford at the Cavendish Laboratory. Unsplash Career

In 1928, he started working on a series of experiments on acceleration of protons by high voltages. Soon, he was joined by another researcher Ernest Walton. Unsplash Career

His experiments, in collaboration with Walton, on splitting the nucleus of an atom with the help of bombardments with protons were successful and in 1932 they demonstrated the phenomenon by performing the experiments on lithium atoms. Their experiments confirmed the existing theories on the theories on atomic structure and also showed that the nucleus of an atom could be changed in the laboratory. Unsplash Career

He continued his research on the splitting of atoms and in 1933 he was successful in producing radioactivity with the aid of protons. In the same year, he conducted a thorough research on the different sorts of transmutations that protons and deuterons can produce. The following year was appointed as the head of the Royal Society Mond Laboratory in Cambridge. Unsplash Career

His most significant work in a career that saw him hold many responsible positions in the scientific sphere is without doubt the series of experiments with Walton that successfully split the nucleus of atoms. He shared the Nobel Prize for the same. Unsplash Major Works

Information	Detail
Birthday	May 27, 1897
Died on	September 18, 1967
Nationality	British
Famous	University Of Manchester, Scientists, Physicists
Known as	Sir John Douglas Cockcroft
Universities	University Of Manchester St John's College Cambridge University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology Victoria University of Manchester University of Cambridge University of Manchester
Notable Alumnis	University Of Manchester
Birth Place	Todmorden
Religion	Christianity
Gender	Male
Sun Sign	Gemini
Born in	Todmorden
Famous as	Physicist
Died at Age	70

John Cockcroft

British

May 27, 1897

Biography

Personal Details

Todmorden