Walther Hermann Nernst
| Walther Nernst | |
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| Born | Walther Hermann Nernst 25 June 1864 Briesen, West Prussia (now Wąbrzeźno, Poland) |
| Died | 18 November 1941 (aged 77) Zibelle, Lusatia, Germany (now Niwica, Poland) |
| Nationality | German |
| Fields | Chemistry |
| Institutions |
University of Göttingen University of Berlin University of Leipzig |
| Alma mater |
University of Zürich University of Berlin University of Graz University of Würzburg |
| Doctoral advisor | Friedrich Kohlrausch |
| Other academic advisors | Ludwig Boltzmann |
| Doctoral students |
Sir Frances Simon Richard Abegg Irving Langmuir Leonid Andrussow Karl Friedrich Bonhoeffer Frederick Lindemann William Duane |
| Other notable students |
Gilbert N. Lewis Max Bodenstein Robert von Lieben Kurt Mendelssohn Theodor Wulf Emil Bose Hermann Irving Schlesinger Claude Hudson |
| Known for |
Third Law of Thermodynamics Nernst lamp Nernst equation Nernst glower Nernst effect Nernst heat theorem Nernst potential Nernst–Planck equation |
| Influenced | J. R. Partington |
| Notable awards |
Nobel Prize in chemistry (1920) Franklin Medal (1928) |
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Walther Hermann Nernst, ForMemRS (25 June 1864 – 18 November 1941) was a German chemist who is known for his theories behind the calculation of chemical affinity as embodied in the third law of thermodynamics, for which he won the 1920 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Nernst helped establish the modern field of physical chemistry and contributed to electrochemistry, thermodynamics and solid state physics. He is also known for developing the Nernst equation.
Nernst was born in Briesen in West Prussia (now Wąbrzeźno, Poland) as son of Gustav Nernst (1827–1888) and Ottilie Nerger (1833–1876). His father was a country judge. Nernst had three older sisters and one younger brother. The third sister died due to cholera. Nernst went to elementary school at Graudenz. He studied physics and mathematics at the universities of Zürich, Berlin, Graz and Würzburg, where he received his doctorate 1887. In 1889, he finished his habilitation at University of Leipzig.
It was said that Nernst was mechanically minded in that he was always thinking of ways to apply new discoveries to industry. Nernst's hobbies included hunting and fishing.
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