Alfred Gordon Gaydon facts for kids
Alfred Gordon Gaydon (born September 26, 1911 – died April 16, 2004) was a very important scientist. He studied how light works (this is called spectroscopy) and how things burn (this is called combustion).
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Early Life and Education
Alfred Gordon Gaydon grew up in a place called Surbiton, Surrey, in England. He went to Kingston Grammar School. While he was there, he really enjoyed rowing boats. He continued to row for Imperial College, London, where he studied, and also for the Kingston Rowing Club.
In 1929, he finished his studies in Physics at the Royal College of Science. This college is now part of Imperial College. After doing more studies there, he got a job at the Shirley Institute. This institute was a research center for cotton, located near Manchester.
Scientific Discoveries
Gordon Gaydon made big contributions to science. He helped create and improve something called a shock tube. This special device allowed scientists to study flames and how things burn in a very controlled way. It helped them understand combustion much better.
Because of his important work, he received many honors. In 1953, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom. In 1960, he was given the Rumford Medal by the Royal Society. This medal is given to scientists who have made outstanding discoveries in the field of heat or light.
Seeing Ultraviolet Light
One of the most amazing things about Alfred Gordon Gaydon was his unique ability to see ultraviolet light. Most people cannot see ultraviolet light because their eyes block it out.
In 1936, when he was working at the Shirley Institute, there was an accident in the lab. An explosion injured one of his eyes, and it had to be removed. His other eye also had a problem; its lens was removed. At first, he couldn't see with this eye.
But slowly, his sight began to return. He then made an incredible discovery: he could now see ultraviolet light! He described this light as looking blue to him. This was very unusual and showed how amazing the human body can be.
Later Career and Family
In 1936, after the accident, Gordon Gaydon went back to Imperial College. He later held a special research position called the Warren Fellowship of the Royal Society. From 1961, he became a professor at the college. He held the Chair of Molecular Spectroscopy in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology. This meant he was a leading expert in studying molecules using light.
He married Phillis Gaze in 1940. Alfred Gordon Gaydon passed away in 2004.
