Ferdinand Brickwedde
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Graft Brickwedde (1903-1989), a physicist at the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology
), in 1931 produced the first sample of hydrogen
in which the spectrum of its heavy isotope, deuterium
, could be observed. This was a critical step in the discovery of deuterium, for which Brickwedde's collaborator, Harold Urey
, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934.
Brickwedde was educated at The Johns Hopkins University, B.A. 1922, M.A. 1924, and Ph.D. 1925. An endowed lectureship in his name is maintained there. In 1925 he joined the National Bureau of Standards as a postdoctoral Mansell Research Associate, was promoted to Chief of its Low Temperature Laboratory in 1926, and became Chief of its Heat and Power Division in 1946.
In 1956, Brickwedde was appointed Dean of the College of Chemistry and Physics at the
Pennsylvania State University
. He served in this position until 1963, and then was appointed Evan Pugh Research Professor of Physics Emeritus, in which position he served until his death in 1989.
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
), in 1931 produced the first sample of hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
in which the spectrum of its heavy isotope, deuterium
Deuterium
Deuterium, also called heavy hydrogen, is one of two stable isotopes of hydrogen. It has a natural abundance in Earth's oceans of about one atom in of hydrogen . Deuterium accounts for approximately 0.0156% of all naturally occurring hydrogen in Earth's oceans, while the most common isotope ...
, could be observed. This was a critical step in the discovery of deuterium, for which Brickwedde's collaborator, Harold Urey
Harold Urey
Harold Clayton Urey was an American physical chemist whose pioneering work on isotopes earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934...
, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934.
Brickwedde was educated at The Johns Hopkins University, B.A. 1922, M.A. 1924, and Ph.D. 1925. An endowed lectureship in his name is maintained there. In 1925 he joined the National Bureau of Standards as a postdoctoral Mansell Research Associate, was promoted to Chief of its Low Temperature Laboratory in 1926, and became Chief of its Heat and Power Division in 1946.
In 1956, Brickwedde was appointed Dean of the College of Chemistry and Physics at the
Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. He served in this position until 1963, and then was appointed Evan Pugh Research Professor of Physics Emeritus, in which position he served until his death in 1989.