Walther Nernst 75876 224646238 2008-07-09T20:12:14Z Monfornot 6441820 interwiki {{Infobox_Scientist | name = Walther Nernst | image = Walther Nernst 2.jpg|250px | image_width = 250px | caption = Walther Hermann Nernst (1864-1941) | birth_date = {{birth date|1864|6|25|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Wąbrzeźno|Briesen]], [[West Prussia]]/[[Pomerania]] | death_date = {{death date and age|1941|11|18|1864|6|25}} | death_place = [[Zibelle]], [[Germany]] | residence = [[Germany]] | nationality = [[Germany|German]] | field = [[Physicist]] | work_institution = [[University of Göttingen]]</br>[[University of Berlin]] | alma_mater = [[University of Zürich]]</br>[[University of Berlin]]</br>[[University of Graz]]</br>[[University of Wurzburg]] | doctoral_advisor = [[Friedrich Kohlrausch]] | doctoral_students = [[Francis Simon|Sir Frances Simon]], </br>[[Richard Abegg]], </br>[[Irving Langmuir]][[Image:Nobel prize medal.svg|20px]], </br>[[Leonid Andrussov]] | known_for = Work on [[electrolytes]] | prizes = [[Image:Nobel prize medal.svg|20px]] [[Nobel Prize in chemistry]] (1920) | religion = | footnotes = }} '''Walther Hermann Nernst''' ([[June 25]], [[1864]] &ndash; [[November 18]], [[1941]]) was a [[Germany|German]] [[physicist]] who is known for his theories behind the calculation of [[chemical affinity]] as embodied in the [[third law of thermodynamics]], for which he won the 1920 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Nernst helped establish the modern field of [[physical chemistry]] and contributed to [[electrochemistry]], [[thermodynamics]], [[solid state chemistry]] and [[photochemistry]]. He is also known for developing the [[Nernst equation]]. ==Biography== Nernst was born in [[Wąbrzeźno|Briesen]] in [[West Prussia]] (now [[Wąbrzeźno]] in [[Poland]]). He studied physics and mathematics at the universities of [[University of Zürich|Zürich]], [[University of Berlin|Berlin]] and [[University of Graz|Graz]]. After some work at [[Leipzig]], he founded the ''Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry'' at [[Göttingen]]. Nernst [[invent]]ed, in 1897, the [[Nernst lamp]], an [[Lamp (electrical component)|electric lamp]] using an incandescent ceramic rod (the successor to the [[Arc lamp|carbon lamp]] and the precursor to the [[incandescent lamp]]). Nernst researched [[osmotic pressure]] and [[electrochemistry]]. In 1905, he established what he referred to as his "New Heat Theorem", later known as the [[Third law of thermodynamics]] (which describes the behavior of [[matter]] as temperatures approach [[absolute zero]]). In 1920, he received the [[Nobel Prize in chemistry]] in recognition of his work in thermochemistry. In 1924, he became director of the ''Institute of Physical Chemistry'' at Berlin, a position from which he retired in 1933. Nernst went on to work in [[electroacoustics]] and [[astrophysics]]. Nernst developed an [[electric grand piano|electric piano]], the "Neo-[[C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik|Bechstein]]-Flügel" in 1930 in association with the Bechstein and Siemens companies, replacing the sounding board with radio amplifiers. The piano used electromagnetic [[pickup (music)|pickup]]s to produce electronically modified and amplified sound in the same way as an [[electric guitar]]. His [[Nernst lamp|Nernst glower]], important in the field of infra-red [[spectroscopy]], is a solid-body radiator with a filament of rare-earth oxides. Continuous ohmic heating of the filament results in conduction. The glower operates best in wavelengths from 2 to 14 micrometers. Nernst died in 1941 and is buried near [[Max Planck]] in [[Göttingen]], Germany. ==Publications== * Walther Nernst, "''Reasoning of theoretical chemistry: Nine papers (1889-1921)''" (Ger., Begründung der Theoretischen Chemie : Neun Abhandlungen, 1889-1921). Frankfurt am Main : Verlag Harri Deutsch, c. 2003. ISBN 3-8171-3290-5 * Walther Nernst, "''The theoretical and experimental bases of the New Heat Theorem''" (Ger., Die theoretischen und experimentellen Grundlagen des neuen Wärmesatzes). Halle [Ger.] W. Knapp, 1918 [tr. 1926]. [ed., this is a list of thermodynamical papers from the physico-chemical institute of the University of Berlin (1906-1916); Translation available by Guy Barr (LCCN 27002575)]) * Walther Nernst, "''Theoretical chemistry from the standpoint of Avogadro's rule and thermodynamics''" (Ger., Theoretische Chemie vom Standpunkte der Avogadroschen Regel und der Thermodynamik). Stuttgart, F. Enke, 1893 [5th edition, 1923]. LCCN po 28000417 ==Further reading== * Mendelssohn, Kurt A. G., "''The world of Walther Nernst. The rise and fall of German science.''". Macmillan, 1973 (biography). * Barkan, Diana Kormos, "''Walther Nernst and the Transition to Modern Physical Science''". Cambridge University Press, 1998. * Bartel, Hans-Georg and Huebener, Rudolf P. "''Walther Nernst. Pioneer of Physics and of Chemistry''". World Scientific, 2007. ==External links and references== {{Commons|Walther Hermann Nernst}} * Katz, Eugenii, "''[http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/nernst.htm Hermann Walther Nernst]''". Biographies of Famous Electrochemists and Physicists Contributed to Understanding of Electricity. ** "''Hermann Walther Nernst, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1920 : [http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/nernst_nobel.htm Prize Presentation]''". Presentation Speech by Professor Gerard de Geer, President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. * Schmitt, Ulrich, "''[http://www.nernst.de/ Walther Nernst]''". Physicochemical institute, Göttingen * "''[http://physicsweb.org/article/review/12/9/3 Nernst: architect of physical revolution]''". Physics World, September 1999. * Suhling, Lothar, "''[http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/urltrurl?url=http%3A//www.gnt-verlag.de/programm/15/p343-356_suhling.shtml&lp=de_en&tt=url Walther Nernst and the ammonia synthesis after Haber and Bosch]''". ISBN 3-928186-15-9 * [http://almaz.com/nobel/chemistry/1920a.html recognition of his work in thermochemistry] <br />{{Nobel Prize in Chemistry Laureates 1901-1925}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Nernst, Walther}} [[Category:Thermodynamicists]] [[Category:German chemists]] [[Category:University of Göttingen faculty]] [[Category:People associated with the University of Zurich]] [[Category:Nobel laureates in Chemistry]] [[Category:German Nobel laureates]] [[Category:People from West Prussia]] [[Category:1864 births]] [[Category:1941 deaths]] [[ar:فالتر هيرمان نيرنست]] [[bs:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[ca:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[cs:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[da:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[de:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[es:Walther Nernst]] [[fa:والتر نرنست]] [[fr:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[hr:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[io:Walther Nernst]] [[id:Walther Nernst]] [[it:Walther Nernst]] [[he:ולטר נרנסט]] [[sw:Walther Nernst]] [[hu:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[mr:वॉल्थर नेर्न्स्ट]] [[nl:Walther Nernst]] [[ja:ヴァルター・ネルンスト]] [[no:Walther Nernst]] [[oc:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[pl:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[pt:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[ro:Walther Nernst]] [[ru:Нернст, Вальтер Герман]] [[sk:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[sl:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[fi:Walther Hermann Nernst]] [[sv:Walther Nernst]] [[tr:Walther Nernst]] [[zh:瓦爾特·能斯特]]