Well-Known Physicists

Galileo Galilei

Feb 15, 1564

Italian (1564-1642) Improved the telescope and pointed it toward the sky. Yielded support for Earth revolving around the Sun

Hooke, Robert

Feb 28, 1635

English (1635-1703) Discovered the Law of Elasticity

Newton, Isaac

Jan 4, 1643

English (1643-1727) Principle of gravity. The Laws of Motion. Co-inventor of Calculus

Volta, Alessandro

Feb 18, 1745

Italian (1745-1827) First electric battery

Dalton, John

Sep 6, 1766

English (1766-1844) Pioneering modern atomic theory

Faraday, Michael

Sep 22, 1791

English (1791-1867) Electromagnetic field. Electromagnetic induction. Laws of eletrolysis

Lord Kelvin

Jun 26, 1824

Irish (1824-1907) First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics

Tesla, Nikola

Jul 10, 1856

Sebian-American (1856-1943) First alternating current

Thomson, JJ

Dec 18, 1856

English (1856-1940) Discovery of electron

Planck, Max

Apr 23, 1858

German (1858-1947) Formulated quantum theory

Rutherford, Ernest

Aug 30, 1871

New Zealand (1871-1937) Greatest of all experimental physicists. Idea of radioactive half-life

Einstein, Albert

Mar 14, 1879

German-born (1879-1955) Developed Relativity - space and time are changable. E = mc2 ; relationship between energy and mass

Bohr, Niels

Oct 7, 1885

Copenhagen (1885-1962) Modern idea of the atom. Nucleus at the center and electrons revolving around it

Chadwich, James

Oct 20, 1891

English (1891-1974) Discovery of the neutron

Dirac, Paul

Aug 8, 1902

English (1902-1984) Predicted the existance of antimatter. Created key quantum mechanics equations. Foundation for mico-electronics industry.

Feynman, Richard

May 11, 1918

American (1918-1988) Quantum electrodynamics. Quantum computing. Nanotechnology

Hawking, Stephen

Jan 8, 1942

English (1942- ) Explaining Black Holes. More on the General Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics

Franklin, Melissa

Jan 1, 1957

American (1957- ) Headed a team that found the First signs of that top quarks exist