Pavel Cherenkov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pavel Cherenkov
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Pavel Alekseyevich Cherenkov
July 28, 1904 Novaya Chigla, Voronezh Governorate, Russian Empire
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| Died | January 6, 1990 (aged 85) |
| Resting place | Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Alma mater | Voronezh State University |
| Known for | Characterizing Cherenkov radiation |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Physics (1958) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nuclear physics |
| Institutions | Lebedev Physical Institute |
| Doctoral advisor | Sergey Vavilov |
Pavel Alekseyevich Cherenkov (Russian: Па́вел Алексе́евич Черенко́в) was a brilliant Soviet physicist. He was born on July 28, 1904, and passed away on January 6, 1990. In 1958, he won the Nobel Prize in physics. He shared this important award with two other scientists, Ilya Frank and Igor Tamm. They received the prize for discovering something special called Cherenkov radiation in 1934.
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Pavel Cherenkov's Early Life and Education
Pavel Cherenkov was born in 1904. His parents were Alexey and Mariya Cherenkov. They lived in a small village called Novaya Chigla. This village is now in Voronezh Oblast, Russia.
Pavel loved to learn about science. In 1928, he finished his studies at Voronezh State University. He studied physics and mathematics there.
Cherenkov's Career and Family Life
In 1930, Pavel started working as a senior researcher. He worked at the Lebedev Physical Institute. This was a very important science center.
That same year, he got married to Maria Putintseva. Maria's father was a professor of Russian Literature. Pavel and Maria had two children. Their son was named Alexey, and their daughter was named Yelena.
Pavel continued to work hard. He became a leader of a section at the institute. In 1940, he earned a special degree. It was called Doctor of Physico-Mathematical Sciences. Later, in 1953, he became a Professor of Experimental Physics.
From 1959, he led a special lab. This lab studied something called photo-meson processes. He was a professor for 14 years. In 1970, he became a member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. This is a very high honor for a scientist.
Pavel Cherenkov died in Moscow on January 6, 1990. He was buried in a famous place called Novodevichy Cemetery.
What is Cherenkov Radiation?
In 1934, Pavel Cherenkov made an amazing discovery. He was working with another scientist, S. I. Vavilov. Cherenkov noticed something strange. A bottle of water started to glow blue. This happened when it was hit by tiny, fast-moving particles. These particles came from radioactive materials.
This blue glow is now called Cherenkov radiation. It happens when charged particles move through a material. They move faster than light can travel through that same material. Imagine a boat moving faster than waves in water. It creates a "bow wave." Cherenkov radiation is like a light "bow wave."
This discovery was very important. It helped scientists study nuclear physics. It also helped them understand cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are tiny particles from space.
Cherenkov Detectors and Other Work
Because of his discovery, a special tool was invented. It is called the Cherenkov detector. This device helps scientists find and measure very fast particles. It works by detecting the blue light. Cherenkov detectors are used in many labs today. One was even put on Sputnik 3, a satellite.
Pavel Cherenkov also helped build electron accelerators. These are machines that speed up tiny particles. He also studied how light interacts with atomic particles.
Awards and Special Honours
Pavel Cherenkov received many awards for his work. He won the State Stalin Prize twice. The first time was in 1946. He shared it with Vavilov, Frank, and Tamm. He won it again in 1952.
In 1977, he received the USSR State Prize. The biggest award came in 1958. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics. This was for his discovery of the Cherenkov effect. The Nobel Prize is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive. In 1984, he was also given the title Hero of Socialist Labour. This was a very high honor in the Soviet Union.
