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Ernest Rutherford was born
Ernest Rutherford was born in Spring Grove, New Zealand. -
Bachelor's Degree
Ernest Rutherford earned a bachelor of arts in 1892. -
Master's Degree
Ernest Rutherford recieved his Master's Degree in mathematics and physical science. -
Bachelor of Science Degree
He received his Bachelor of Science Degree one year after receiving his Masters Degree. -
Cavendish Labaratory
Ernest Rutherford was invited to be the first research student at Cavendish Labaratories without graduating from Trinity College. -
Invention #1
Invented a detector for electormagnetic waves, using the same principles as Guglielmo Marconi. -
Ionization
He discovered that treatment with X-rays, ionized gas molecules. -
Uranium Rays
While studying uranium rays, Rutherford discovered the ability of uranium rays penetrating the foil that uranium was wrapped in. -
Radiation Discovery
Ernest Rutherford discovered two different types of radiation emanated from the uranium source, alpha and beta rays. He later discovered that alpha particles consits of two positive charges, while beta particles consits of one negative charge. -
Professorship Offer
In 1898, Rutherford was offered the Macdonald Professorship of Experimental Physics at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. -
Studying Thorium
At McGill, Ernest started studying thorium, a natural radioactive chemical element, he discovered its emmisions were irregular compared to uranium. -
Another Discovery!
Later in the year, Ernest Rutherford figured out that emanation decreased with time. -
Happily Married
In the year of 1900, Ernest Rutherford married Mary Newton. -
The Newborn!
1 year after Ernest and Mary got married they had one daughter named Eileen. -
Teaming Up
Later in the year, Ernest teamed up with Frederick Soddy, another scientist at McGill and together they seperated active thorium emanation, which they named Thorium X, from inactive throium compound. -
The Nature of Radioactivity
Rutherford and Soddy published their conclusions regarding the nature of radioactivity in "The Cause and Nature of Radioactivity," published in two parts in the Philosophical Magazine. -
Disintegration Theory of Radioactivity
Ernest and Frederick developed the theory that thorium atoms were disintegrating into smaller parts, releasing radiation in the process. For example, Thorium X, when separated from its source, its activity could no longer be replenished by the decaying thorium atoms, so it gradually became inactive. The supposed inactive thorium regained its activity as it generated new radioactive products. -
Publishing a Book
In 1904, Ernest Rutherford published a book called "Radioactivity." -
Professorship at the University of Manchester
Rutherford returned to England, and became a professor at the University of Manchester. -
Receiving the Nobel Prize
Ernest Rutherford receieved the Nobel Prize in 1908 for Chemistry. -
Breakthrough Discovery!
Rutherford performed an experiment that involved firing alpha particles at foil, This experiment is known as the GoldFoil Experiment. Ernest made the discovery that nearly the total mass of an atom is concentrated in a nucleus which was in the center surrounded by orbiting electrons. This also proved that the atom wa not the smallest particle in the universe, since the nucleus was 1,000 times smaller than the atom. -
The Rutherford Model
In 1911, Ernest Rutherford devised a model of an atom based on experimental results. His resuslts proved that the plum pudding model of J.J. Thomas of the atom was incorrect. -
Nuclear Discovery
Rutherford discovered that he could disintegrate the nuclei of nitrogen atoms by firing particles from a radioactive source which, in turn, resulted in the release of fast protons. Which means that this was the first atrificially produced nuclear reaction, which ultimately lead to nuclear power in later years. Nucear reactions were Rutherford's main focus for the rest of his career. -
Death
On October 19, 1937, Ernest Rutherford passed away due to complications of a strangulated hertia, at the age of 66, in Cambridge, England.
