Theodor Svedberg
Encyclopedia
Theodor H. E. Svedberg (30 August 1884 – 25 February 1971) was a Swedish
chemist
and Nobel laureate
, active at Uppsala University
. His work with colloid
s supported the theories of Brownian motion
put forward by Einstein
and the Polish geophysicist
Marian Smoluchowski
. During this work, he developed the technique of analytical ultracentrifugation, and demonstrated its utility in distinguishing pure protein
s one from another.
The unit svedberg
(symbol S), a unit of time amounting to 10−13 s or 100 fs, is named after him.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and Nobel laureate
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
, active at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
. His work with colloid
Colloid
A colloid is a substance microscopically dispersed evenly throughout another substance.A colloidal system consists of two separate phases: a dispersed phase and a continuous phase . A colloidal system may be solid, liquid, or gaseous.Many familiar substances are colloids, as shown in the chart below...
s supported the theories of Brownian motion
Brownian motion
Brownian motion or pedesis is the presumably random drifting of particles suspended in a fluid or the mathematical model used to describe such random movements, which is often called a particle theory.The mathematical model of Brownian motion has several real-world applications...
put forward by Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
and the Polish geophysicist
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
Marian Smoluchowski
Marian Smoluchowski
Marian Smoluchowski was an ethnic Polish scientist in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was a pioneer of statistical physics and an avid mountaineer.-Life:...
. During this work, he developed the technique of analytical ultracentrifugation, and demonstrated its utility in distinguishing pure protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s one from another.
The unit svedberg
Svedberg
A svedberg is a non-SI physical unit used for sedimentation coefficients. It characterizes the behaviour of a particle type in sedimentation processes, notably centrifugation. The svedberg is technically a measure of time, and is defined as exactly 10-13 seconds A svedberg (symbol S, sometimes...
(symbol S), a unit of time amounting to 10−13 s or 100 fs, is named after him.