Frank Wigglesworth Clarke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frank Wigglesworth Clarke
Born	(1847-03-19)March 19, 1847 Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Died	May 23, 1931(1931-05-23) (aged 84) Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Lawrence Scientific School, Harvard Colleges (B.Sc.)
Known for	Creation of the American Chemical Society Atomic weights
Scientific career
Fields	Geochemistry
Institutions	University of Cincinnati United States Geological Survey
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Frank Wigglesworth Clarke (March 19, 1847 – May 23, 1931) was an American scientist and chemist. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Clarke is sometimes called the "Father of Geochemistry." This means he helped figure out what the Earth's crust is made of. He also helped start the American Chemical Society and was its president in 1901.

What Frank Clarke Studied

Frank Clarke was the first to suggest how chemical elements might have changed over time. He wrote about this idea early in his career. In 1873, he wrote an article called "Evolution and the Spectroscope." It talked about how minerals and plants developed in similar ways.

Clarke was known for looking deeper into minerals. He didn't just analyze them. He also studied how they formed, changed, and related to other minerals. His book "Constants of Nature" (1876) was one of the first collections of important scientific numbers. His work on atomic weights became a standard for chemists.

Clarke also worked with other scientists. His book Data on Geochemistry helped collect many scientists' work. It was updated five times for everyone to use.

He also wrote one of the first government reports on teaching science in the United States. This report was published in 1878. It looked at how chemistry and physics were taught in schools and colleges. Clarke wanted to show what was happening and how teaching could be better.

In 1908, Clarke's important book, The Data of Geochemistry, was published. He was the Chief Chemist at the U.S. Geological Survey at the time. The fifth edition of this book came out in 1924, the year he retired.

His Early Life and School

Frank Clarke's parents were Henry W. Clarke and Abby Fisher Clarke. His mother died when he was just ten days old. He was raised by his grandfather, Samuel Clarke, in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.

His family moved several times when he was young. He went to schools in Woburn, Uxbridge, and Boston. He attended Boston Latin School. In 1865, he went to Harvard College's Lawrence Scientific School. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Harvard in 1867.

After college, he taught chemistry at Boston Dental College. He also taught at the new Cornell University. Even though he was known as a chemist, he was also a geologist. He explored local rock formations in New York. Later, he continued these studies while teaching at the University of Cincinnati.

Working for the Public

Frank Clarke worked for the government for a long time. He retired on January 1, 1925. He had been the Chief Chemist of the U.S. Geological Survey since 1883. Part of his job was to analyze the water from the Yellowstone geysers.

He also helped America show its scientific work at big events. One important event was the 1900 Paris Exposition. In 1903, he gave a special lecture in England about John Dalton's atomic theory. He also helped create the International Commission on Atomic Weights. He led this group in updating the Periodic Table of Elements until World War I.

For 42 years, Clarke also worked as an "honorary curator" of minerals at the United States National Museum. He helped build the Smithsonian Institution's large collection of minerals.

Teaching Career

Before working for the government, Clarke taught chemistry and geochemistry. He taught at Howard University from 1873 to 1874. Then he taught at the University of Cincinnati from 1874 to 1883. In 1874, he married Mary P. Olmstead.

While in Cincinnati, he explored the Appalachian Mountains to study their geology. His first scientific paper was published in 1868 when he was just 20 years old. It was about a new way to analyze minerals. Even after he stopped teaching, he loved to learn. He would visit the library often to be the first to read new scientific magazines.

His Personality

Frank Clarke was known for his quiet humor. He didn't laugh loudly but would "ripple" with amusement. His funny way with words was compared to Lewis Carroll, who wrote Alice in Wonderland. People at the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C. knew him for his wit.

He was also a bit of a gossip. He knew what people were doing and what their families had done before them. He had a sharp wit and sometimes used a "deadpan" delivery. Once, at a Thanksgiving dinner, he saw his friend struggling to carve a turkey. Clarke joked that his friend should visit the National Museum because a certain door there had a sign that said "Division of Birds."

Clarke was not known for getting angry. Near the end of his life, he was described as a small man, about five feet five inches tall and 110 pounds. He had pale blue eyes and little hair. He seemed deep in thought but was very alert. His voice was low and pleasant. He spoke wisely but with a touch of fun. He was bright and entertaining.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Frank Clarke received many honors for his work:

• He was made a Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honor.
• He became a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
• He received The Wilde Medal.
• The F.W. Clarke Award for geochemistry is named after him.
• The mineral Clarkeite was named in his honor.
• In Russia, the amounts of chemical elements in the Earth's crust are sometimes called "the Clarkes."
• He was the first chairman of the International Committee of Atomic Weights.
• In 1903, he was the only American ever asked to give a special speech at The Chemical Society.

Some of His Writings

Frank Clarke wrote many scientific papers and general articles.

Scientific Works

• Water analyses from the laboratory of the United States Geological Survey, 1914.
• Analysis of rocks and minerals from the laboratory of the United States Geological Survey, 1910.
• Contributions to mineralogy from the United States Geological Survey, 1905.
• "Evolution and the Spectroscope," Popular Science Monthly (1873).

General Writings

• "The Obituary of an Undertaker," Life Magazine.
• "The Mormon Widow's Lament," The Galaxy.
• "American colleges versus American science," Popular Science Monthly (1876).
• "How to Play Solitaire," Riverside Magazine (1870).
• "Weights, measures, and money, of all nations", (1875) Online version.

Groups He Belonged To

Frank Clarke was a member of many important groups:

• The American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• The American Chemical Society.
• The Young Men's Christian Union.
• The Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C.
• The Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
• The Irving Literary Society.
• He was president of the Philosophical Society of Washington in 1896.
• He became a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1904.

Images for kids

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  Frank Wigglesworth Clarke (back row, left) with his colleagues.

See also

In Spanish: Frank Wigglesworth Clarke para niños