Hans Peter Jørgen Julius Thomsen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hans Peter Jørgen Julius Thomsen
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| Born |
Hans Peter Jørgen Julius Thomsen
16 February 1826 |
| Died | 13 February 1909 (aged 82) |
| Known for | Thomsen graph Thomsen–Berthelot principle |
| Awards | ForMemRS (1902) Davy Medal (1883) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Thermochemistry |
| Institutions | University of Copenhagen |
Hans Peter Jørgen Julius Thomsen (born February 16, 1826 – died February 13, 1909) was a Danish chemist. He is famous for his work in thermochemistry. This field studies the heat changes that happen during chemical reactions. He is especially known for the Thomsen–Berthelot principle.
Contents
Life and Scientific Work
Julius Thomsen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and lived there his whole life. He taught chemistry at the Polytechnic Institute from 1847 to 1856. Later, he became the director of the institute from 1883 to 1892.
From 1856 to 1866, he also worked at a military high school. In 1866, he became a professor of chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. He held this important position until he retired in 1891.
Founding Thermochemistry
Thomsen was a friend and colleague of Ludwig A. Colding. Colding was one of the first to talk about the idea of conservation of energy. Thomsen helped a lot to create the field of thermochemistry. This is the study of how much heat is given off or taken in during chemical reactions.
Between 1869 and 1882, Thomsen did many experiments. He measured the heat changes in different reactions. These included how salts form, how substances combine with oxygen (oxidation), and how organic compounds burn.
His findings were published in four books from 1882 to 1886. The books were called Thermochemische Untersuchungen. He also wrote a summary in English called "Thermochemistry" in 1908.
Other Contributions
In 1857, Thomsen started a process in Copenhagen to make sodium carbonate, also known as soda. He made it from a mineral called cryolite. This mineral came from the west coast of Greenland.
Thomsen also tried to figure out the structure of benzene. Even though his efforts were not successful, a special graph in mathematics is named after him. It is called the Thomsen graph (written as K~3,3~). He suggested a benzene structure based on this graph in a paper from 1886.
Awards and Recognition
Julius Thomsen received many honors for his work.
- In 1880, he became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
- In 1884, he was made an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- In 1883, the Royal Society gave him the Davy Medal. This is a very important award in chemistry.
Public Service
Thomsen also served on the Copenhagen City Council from 1861 to 1894. He used his scientific knowledge to help the city grow and develop.
His book on thermochemistry was translated into English by Katherine Alice Burke. This translation was published in 1905.
See also
