Milton S. Plesset
Encyclopedia
Milton Spinoza Plesset was an American
applied physicist who worked in the field of fluid mechanics
and nuclear energy
. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
in 1979 for his fundamental contributions to multiphase flow
s, bubble dynamics, and safety of nuclear reactor
s. Plesset served as Professor of Engineering Science at California Institute of Technology
during 1951 to 1978. He with Christian Møller
are known for the Møller–Plesset perturbation theory.
, Plesset received his Bachelor's degree from University of Pittsburgh
in 1929 and a Ph.D. from the Yale University
in 1932. Soon after his Ph.D. Plesset joined Caltech
and worked with Robert Oppenheimer. Together, they undertook a theoretical study of positron
using Dirac equation
in quantum electrodynamics
to show how electron-positron pairs were formed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
applied physicist who worked in the field of fluid mechanics
Fluid mechanics
Fluid mechanics is the study of fluids and the forces on them. Fluid mechanics can be divided into fluid statics, the study of fluids at rest; fluid kinematics, the study of fluids in motion; and fluid dynamics, the study of the effect of forces on fluid motion...
and nuclear energy
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in 1979 for his fundamental contributions to multiphase flow
Multiphase flow
In fluid mechanics, multiphase flow is a generalisation of the modelling used in two-phase flow to cases where the two phases are not chemically related or where more than two phases are present In fluid mechanics, multiphase flow is a generalisation of the modelling used in two-phase flow to...
s, bubble dynamics, and safety of nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
s. Plesset served as Professor of Engineering Science at California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
during 1951 to 1978. He with Christian Møller
Christian Møller
Christian Møller was a Danish chemist and physicist who made fundamental contributions to the theory of relativity, theory of gravitation and quantum chemistry...
are known for the Møller–Plesset perturbation theory.
Education and work
Born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Plesset received his Bachelor's degree from University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in 1929 and a Ph.D. from the Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1932. Soon after his Ph.D. Plesset joined Caltech
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
and worked with Robert Oppenheimer. Together, they undertook a theoretical study of positron
Positron
The positron or antielectron is the antiparticle or the antimatter counterpart of the electron. The positron has an electric charge of +1e, a spin of ½, and has the same mass as an electron...
using Dirac equation
Dirac equation
The Dirac equation is a relativistic quantum mechanical wave equation formulated by British physicist Paul Dirac in 1928. It provided a description of elementary spin-½ particles, such as electrons, consistent with both the principles of quantum mechanics and the theory of special relativity, and...
in quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics
Quantum electrodynamics is the relativistic quantum field theory of electrodynamics. In essence, it describes how light and matter interact and is the first theory where full agreement between quantum mechanics and special relativity is achieved...
to show how electron-positron pairs were formed.