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Life of Werner Heisenberg
I chose Werner Heisenberg because of his theories within quantum mechanics and his work with Neils Bohr, another name I almost chose. The study in the field was still in its infancy but the "uncertainty relation" was groundbreaking at the time and explains why we cannot know both the speed and location of particles at the quantum level.
This apparent contradiction had philosophical implications such as, what do scientific observations truly mean? -
Study of Physics under Max Born
Max Born was a German physicist who was instrumental in the development in quantum mechanics. -
Worked with Physicist, Neils Bohr
Niels Bohr was a prominent Danish, physicist of the era with groundbreaking works in the atomic structure and quantum theory. -
Theory of Quantum Mechanics
At just the age of 23, Heisenberg published his works on quantum mechanics. This later on led him to discovery allotropic hydrogen and win the Nobel Prize in Physics.
This theory was based on the matrices of the electrons within the atom, the "uncertainty relation". -
Appointed lecturer at Copenhagen
Was appointed a lecturer under Niels Bohr at just the age of 26.
In 1929, went on a lecture tour to the U.S., Japan, & India. -
Nobel Prize
At just the age of 31, Heisenberg was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, for his theory and application of quantum mechanics, which led to the discovery of allotropic forms of hydrogen. -
Marriage
He met Elisabeth Schumacher, while at an invitation where he was playing the piano on Jan 28, 1937. They were married just 3 months later. -
Professor of Physics
Heisenberg was appointed Professor of Physics at the University of Berlin -
WWII
Taken prisoner along with other scientists, was sent to England but returned to Germany in 1946. He then reorganized what would become the Max Planck Insitute for Physics and Astrophysics. -
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Years of Lectures
Lectures given in Cambridge in 1948.
Lectures given in the U.S. by invitation 1950-1954.
Lectures given at University of St. Andrews, Scotland. These were the Gifford lectures & led to the publishing of a book. -
President of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
When Heisenberg became president of this foundation, he invited scientists from other countries to help them work there, which was forward thinking in developing policies. -
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Later Life
Later in life, Heisenberg was interested in plasma physics and the thermonuclear processes. He worked in collaboration with the International Institute of Atomic Physics at Geneva, where he was Chairman of the Scientific Policy Committee and remained a member even afterwards.