Norman Greenwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Norman Neill Greenwood
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| Born | 19 January 1925 Melbourne, Australia
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| Died | 14 November 2012 (aged 87) Leeds, United Kingdom
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| Nationality | Australian-British |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge |
| Known for | Boron chemistry Determination of atomic weights The textbook Chemistry of the Elements |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Inorganic chemistry |
| Institutions | University of Newcastle upon Tyne University of Leeds |
| Doctoral advisor | Harry Julius Emeléus |
| Notable students | Kenneth Wade |
Norman Neill Greenwood (born January 19, 1925 – died November 14, 2012) was an Australian-British chemist. He was a highly respected professor at the University of Leeds. He is famous for co-writing an important chemistry textbook called Chemistry of the Elements.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Norman Greenwood went to University High School, Melbourne. After high school, he studied Chemistry at the University of Melbourne. He earned his first degree in 1945 and a master's degree in 1948.
In 1948, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to study for his PhD at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He finished his PhD in 1951.
A Career in Chemistry
After his PhD, Greenwood worked as a research fellow. He then became a lecturer at the University of Nottingham in 1953.
In 1961, he became a professor at what is now Newcastle University. This was the first time a professor was specifically chosen for inorganic chemistry in the UK.
Later, in 1971, Greenwood moved to the University of Leeds. He became the head of the Inorganic and Structural Chemistry department. He worked there until he retired in 1990.
Amazing Discoveries and Work
Professor Greenwood did a lot of important research. He made big steps in understanding boron hydrides. These are special compounds of boron and hydrogen. He also studied other main-group element compounds.
He was a pioneer in using a method called Mössbauer spectroscopy. This method helps scientists study the structure of materials.
Greenwood was also a great writer and speaker. He gave lectures all over the world. NASA even asked him to be a lead scientist. He helped study lunar rocks brought back from the Moon. He also led international groups that set standards for atomic weights.
Honors and Awards
In 1987, Norman Greenwood was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
Works
- Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 1340. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.
- Editor: Spectroscopic Properties of Inorganic and Organometallic Compounds, Royal Society of Chemistry, Volume 1 (1968) to Volume 9 (1976)
