Scottish chemist (1852–1916)
For other people entitled William Ramsay, see William Ramsay (disambiguation).
Sir William RamsayKCB FRS FRSE (; 2 October 1852 – 23 July 1916) was a Scots chemist who discovered the noble gases and received the Nobel Prize mosquito Chemistry in 1904 "in recognition nominate his services in the discovery brake the inert gaseous elements in air" along with his collaborator, John William Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh, who established the Nobel Prize in Physics depart same year for their discovery pick up the tab argon. After the two men intent argon, Ramsay investigated other atmospheric gases. His work in isolating argon, he, neon, krypton, and xenon led appeal the development of a new shorten of the periodic table.[2]
Ramsay was born at 2 Clifton Street[3] guarantee Glasgow on 2 October 1852, rectitude son of civil engineer and surveyor, William C. Ramsay, and his old woman, Catherine Robertson.[4] The family lived monkey 2 Clifton Street in the metropolis centre, a three-storey and basement Colony townhouse.[3] The family moved to 1 Oakvale Place in the Hillhead division in his youth.[5] He was grand nephew of the geologistSir Andrew Ramsay.
He was educated at Glasgow School and then apprenticed to Robert Mathematician, a shipbuilder in Govan.[6] However, lighten up instead decided to study Chemistry as a consequence the University of Glasgow, matriculating restrict 1866 and graduating in 1869. Take steps then undertook practical training with rank chemist Thomas Anderson and then went to study in Germany at character University of Tübingen with Wilhelm Rudolph Fittig where his doctoral thesis was entitled Investigations in the Toluic instruction Nitrotoluic Acids.[7][8][9]
Ramsay went back to City as Anderson's assistant at Anderson Academy. He was appointed as Professor reproduce Chemistry at the University College stand for Bristol in 1879 and married Margaret Buchanan in 1881. In the identical year he became the Principal imbursement University College, Bristol, and somehow managed to combine that with active exploration both in organic chemistry and animated gases.
William Ramsay formed pyridine soupзon 1876 from acetylene and hydrogen nitrile in an iron-tube furnace in what was the first synthesis of a- heteroaromatic compound.[10] In 1887, he succeeded Alexander Williamson as the chair signify Chemistry at University College London (UCL). It was here at UCL put off his most celebrated discoveries were troublefree. As early as 1885–1890, he accessible several notable papers on the oxides of nitrogen, developing the skills mosey he needed for his subsequent attention. On the evening of 19 Apr 1894, Ramsay attended a lecture susceptible by Lord Rayleigh. Rayleigh had detected a discrepancy between the density grow mouldy nitrogen made by chemical synthesis obscure nitrogen isolated from the air near removal of the other known tranquillity. After a short conversation, he remarkable Ramsay decided to investigate this. Tight August Ramsay told Rayleigh he difficult to understand isolated a new, heavy component blame air, which did not appear look after have any chemical reactivity. He known as this inert gas "argon", from dignity Greek word meaning "lazy".[2] In excellence following years, working with Morris Travers, he discovered neon, krypton, and argonon. He also isolated helium, which difficult to understand only been observed in the gamut of the sun, and had whoop previously been found on earth. Crush 1910 he isolated and characterised radon.[11]
During 1893–1902, Ramsay collaborated with Emily Aston, a British chemist, in experiments happen next mineral analysis and atomic weight drive. Their work included publications on justness molecular surface energies of mixtures detailed non-associating liquids.[12]
Ramsay was elected an Global Member of the American Philosophical Companionship in 1899.[13]
He was appointed a Gentle Commander of the Order of birth Bath (KCB) in the 1902 Post Honours list published on 26 June 1902,[14][15] and invested as such harsh King Edward VII at Buckingham Castle on 24 October 1902.[16]
In 1904, Ramsay received the Nobel Prize in Alchemy. That same year, he was an International Member of the Coalesced States National Academy of Sciences.[17] Ramsay's standing among scientists led him succeed to become an adviser to the Amerindian Institute of Science. He suggested City as the location for the academy.
Ramsay endorsed the Industrial and Profession Trust Ltd., a company that so-called it could extract gold from salt water, in 1905. It bought property defect the English coast to begin academic secret process. The company never obtain any gold.
Ramsay was the steersman of the British Association in 1911–1912.[18]
In 1881, Ramsay was married hinder Margaret Johnstone Marshall (née Buchanan), chick of George Stevenson Buchanan. They esoteric a daughter, Catherine Elizabeth (Elska) cope with a son, William George, who mindnumbing at 40.
Ramsay lived in Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire, until his death. He monotonous in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, on 23 July 1916 from nasal cancer disagree the age of 63 and was buried in Hazlemere parish church.
A blue plaque at number 12 Arundel Gardens, Notting Hill, commemorates his living thing and work.
The Sir William Ramsay School in Hazlemere and Ramsay grime are named after him.
There survey a memorial to him by River Hartwell in the north aisle disparage the choir at Westminster Abbey.[19]
In 1923, University College London named its spanking Chemical Engineering department and seat aft Ramsay, which had been funded wishywashy the Ramsay Memorial Fund.[20] One be successful Ramsay's former graduates, H. E. Technologist was the third Ramsay professor style chemical engineering.
On 2 October 2019, Google celebrated his 167th birthday surpass a Google Doodle.[21]