Lloyd Quarterman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lloyd A. Quarterman
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| Born | May 31, 1918 |
| Died | 1982 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | St. Augustine's College, Northwestern University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | gaseous diffusion method of obtaining fissionable materials |
| Institutions | Manhattan Project, Argonne National Laboratory |
Lloyd Albert Quarterman (born May 31, 1918 – died July 1982) was an American chemist. He mostly worked with a chemical element called fluorine. During World War II, he was one of the first African American scientists to join the important Manhattan Project.
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Early Life and Education
Lloyd Quarterman was born on May 31, 1918. His hometown was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1943, he earned his first college degree there.
Working on the Manhattan Project
After college, Quarterman was hired for the Manhattan Project. This was a top-secret research project during World War II. Its goal was to build the first atomic bombs.
Quarterman was one of the few African Americans working on this huge project. He played a key role in creating a special system. This system was used to clean large amounts of hydrogen fluoride.
Making Atomic Bombs
The hydrogen fluoride was important for separating a special type of Uranium. This type is called Uranium-235. Separating U-235 was a vital step for building the atomic bombs.
The U-235 that Quarterman helped gather was used in the "Little Boy" bomb. This was the uranium bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945. After the war, Quarterman received an award. It recognized his work on the atomic bomb and his help in ending World War II.
Post-War Career and Discoveries
After the war, Quarterman continued his scientific work. He joined the new Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois. He worked there for more than 30 years.
From 1943 to 1949, he was an assistant chemist. He helped with the first nuclear reactor designed for atomic-powered submarines. In 1952, Quarterman earned a master's degree from Northwestern University.
Working with Noble Gases
After getting his master's degree, Quarterman kept working with fluorine. He created new chemical compounds. He did this by making fluorine react with "noble gases," especially xenon.
These discoveries were very surprising to scientists. At the time, noble gases were thought to be unable to combine with other atoms. Quarterman's work showed that they could.
Later Recognition and Community Work
In 1971, Lloyd Quarterman received an honorary Ph.D. in chemistry. This special degree was from St. Augustine's College. He was also a member of the NAACP in Chicago. He often gave talks to inspire young African Americans to study science.
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