Eduard Buchner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eduard Buchner
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| Born | 20 May 1860 Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria
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| Died | 13 August 1917 (aged 57) Focșani, Kingdom of Romania
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| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Nationality | Germany |
| Alma mater | University of Munich |
| Known for | Mannich reaction |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1907) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry |
| Institutions | University of Munich University of Kiel Agricultural University of Berlin University of Tübingen University of Breslau University of Würzburg |
| Doctoral advisor | Theodor Curtius |
Eduard Buchner (born May 20, 1860 – died August 13, 1917) was a German chemist. He was also a zymologist, which means he studied how fermentation works. In 1907, he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his important discoveries about this process.
Contents
About Eduard Buchner
Early Life and Education
Eduard Buchner was born in Munich, Germany. His father was a doctor. Eduard started studying chemistry in 1884. He learned from famous scientists like Adolf von Baeyer. In 1888, he earned his doctorate degree from the University of Munich.
His Work as a Professor
After finishing his studies, Buchner became an assistant lecturer in Munich. He was promoted to lecturer in 1891. Later, he became a professor at different universities. These included the University of Kiel and the University of Tübingen. In 1898, he became a professor at the Agricultural University of Berlin. He taught his assistants everything they needed to know. He also worked at the University of Wrocław and the University of Würzburg.
The Nobel Prize Discovery
Buchner received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1907. He won it for a very important experiment. He showed that fermentation could happen even without living yeast cells. Before his discovery, many scientists thought that living cells were needed for fermentation.
Buchner made a special "press juice" from yeast cells. He crushed dry yeast cells with sand and a special powder. This made the cell contents come out. Then, he pressed this mixture to get the juice. When he added sugar to this juice, it started to ferment! Carbon dioxide gas was produced, just like in normal fermentation. He checked the juice under a microscope. There were no living yeast cells in it.
This discovery was a big deal. It showed that chemicals inside the cells, called enzymes, were responsible for fermentation. It proved that life itself wasn't needed for this process. This helped scientists understand how many chemical reactions happen in living things.
Personal Life and War
Eduard Buchner married Lotte Stahl in 1900. When World War I started, he joined the army. He worked as a major, leading a unit that moved supplies. He served on both the western and eastern fronts.
In 1917, while he was stationed in Focșani, Romania, he was injured by a shell. He died two days later, on August 13, 1917. He was buried in a German soldiers' cemetery in Focșani.
You might have heard of the Büchner flask or Büchner funnel. Many people think they are named after Eduard Buchner. However, they are actually named after another chemist, Ernst Büchner.
See also
- In Spanish: Eduard Buchner para niños
