Rutherford, Ernest (Baron Rutherford of Nelson) (1871-1937)
Rutherford was the greatest of the pioneers of subatomic physics; he "led us to the confines of knowledge in respect of the ultimate structure and constitution of matter." British physicist from New Zealand; discovered several radioactive isotopes with colleagues (1899-1905); classified forms of radiation as alpha, beta, and gamma; received Nobel Prize for chemistry (1908); worked on submarine detection; developed atomic theory (1911); researched transmutational effects of alpha particles on gases (ca. 1919) and other elements.
- Famous Quotes:
- "The only possible conclusion the social sciences can draw is: some do, some don't."
- "We haven't the money, so we've got to think."
- "All of physics is either impossible or trivial. It is impossible until you understand it, and then it becomes trivial."
- "If your experiment needs statistics, then you ought to have done a better experiment."
See also: Geiger, Johannes.
Subjects: Famous Scientists & Engineers Physics