Howard Turner Barnes facts for kids

Howard Turner Barnes (born July 21, 1873, died October 4, 1950) was a smart scientist. He was a physicist from both America and Canada. He studied how heat works, especially in liquids. He also became an expert on ice and how to manage it.

Howard Barnes's Life and Work

In 1879, Howard Barnes moved with his family to Montreal, Canada. He went to high school there. In 1889, he started studying at McGill University. He earned his first degree in physics in 1893.

He continued his studies at McGill. He worked as a teaching assistant in chemistry and physics. He learned a lot from famous scientists like Hugh L. Callendar. Later, another famous scientist, Ernest Rutherford, became his supervisor.

In 1899, Barnes traveled to the United Kingdom. He had a special scholarship from the Royal Society. He came back to McGill in 1900. He became a physics lecturer and later a professor. He even took over Ernest Rutherford's teaching position in 1907. He retired from McGill University in 1933.

Studying Heat and Energy

Barnes worked with Hugh Callendar on very exact measurements. They used something called a constant-flow calorimeter. This special tool measures how much heat energy is added to a flowing liquid. It also measures how much the liquid's temperature goes up.

Barnes helped create this type of calorimeter. Scientists still use it today to study heat. He also looked at how liquids move (called turbulence). He studied electrolytes, which are liquids that conduct electricity. He even researched the heat given off by radium.

Becoming an Ice Expert

In the 1920s, Howard Barnes became a world expert on ice. He studied different types of ice, like anchor ice and frazil ice. Anchor ice forms at the bottom of rivers or lakes. Frazil ice is like slushy ice that forms in cold, moving water.

He became famous for finding smart ways to clear ice jams. Ice jams happen when large pieces of ice block a river. This can cause floods. Barnes developed clever and practical methods to remove these dangerous ice blockages.

He was known for measuring the "mechanical equivalent of heat." This is how much work equals a certain amount of heat. He also measured the specific heat of water at different temperatures. Later, he became world-famous for his original ways to remove ice jams.

Awards and Special Honours

Howard Barnes received many awards for his important work. In 1908, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. This is a big honor for Canadian scientists. In 1911, he also became a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This is a very old and respected scientific group in the UK.

He was also chosen to give the Tyndall Lecture in 1912. This was at the Royal Institution in London. It is a special lecture given by leading scientists.

His Inventions (Patents)

Howard Barnes also held patents for his inventions. A patent means he had the legal right to his ideas.

• Method of and apparatus for recording marine conditions. U.S. Patent 1,022,526, 1911. This patent was for a way to record conditions in the ocean.
• Method of loosening ice accumulations. U.S. Patent 1,562,137, 1925. This patent described a method to break up large amounts of ice.