Farrington Daniels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Farrington Daniels
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Farrington Daniels
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| Born | March 8, 1889 |
| Died | June 23, 1972 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Pioneer of solar energy |
| Awards | Willard Gibbs Award (1955) Priestley Medal (1957) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physical chemist |
| Institutions | University of Wisconsin |
| Doctoral advisor | Theodore William Richards |
Farrington Daniels (born March 8, 1889 – died June 23, 1972) was an American scientist. He was a physical chemist and is known as one of the first people to really push for using solar energy directly.
Contents
Farrington Daniels: A Pioneer of Solar Energy
Farrington Daniels was a brilliant scientist who spent much of his life studying chemistry. He became especially famous for his work with solar energy, showing how we could use the sun's power for many things.
Early Life and Education
Farrington Daniels was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 8, 1889. As a boy, he loved learning about famous inventors like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. He decided early on that he wanted to be an electrician and an inventor himself.
He went to the University of Minnesota in 1906, where he studied chemistry. He also took classes in mathematics and botany. After earning his first degree in 1910, he continued his studies and received a master's degree in physical chemistry.
In 1911, he went to Harvard University to get his Ph.D. He finished his Ph.D. in 1914, focusing on how thallium alloys behave with electricity.
A Career in Science
After finishing his studies, Farrington Daniels wanted to travel in Europe. However, World War I started, so he took a job teaching at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. There, he also did research on how heat is measured.
In 1920, he joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He became a professor and later led the chemistry department. He stayed there until he retired in 1959.
Working on Nuclear Energy
During World War II, Daniels was involved in a big science project called the Manhattan Project. After the war, he became very worried about nuclear weapons. He worked to help limit them and joined the board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
He also came up with an idea for a special type of nuclear reactor in 1947. It was called the "pebble bed reactor," which used small pebbles of uranium to create power.
Writing Science Books
Farrington Daniels also wrote several important textbooks about physical chemistry. These books helped many students learn about the subject. Some of his books were used for many years, even into the 1980s.
He received the Priestley Medal in 1957, which is a very high honor for chemists. Farrington Daniels passed away on June 23, 1972.
Farrington Daniels and Solar Power
Farrington Daniels became a top expert in how to use solar energy. He wanted to understand how to get heat and electricity directly from the sun. He led the Solar Energy Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
He explored many ways to use solar energy, such as:
- Cooking food
- Heating homes
- Drying crops
- Making fresh water from salty water
- Cooling and refrigeration
- Turning sunlight directly into electricity
He especially believed that solar energy could be very helpful for developing countries.
Daniels was also very active in groups that promoted solar energy. He suggested starting a scientific journal about solar energy, which began in 1957. He also helped reorganize a group into The Solar Energy Society.
Why Solar Energy Matters
Farrington Daniels strongly supported solar energy because he knew it was important for the future. In 1955, he said, "We realize, as never before, that our fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – will not last forever." He understood that we needed a renewable energy source like the sun.
One of his most famous books is Direct Use of the Sun's Energy, published in 1964. This book became very popular, especially after the 1973 oil crisis, when people realized how important energy sources were.
