William Barlow (geologist) facts for kids
William Barlow (born August 8, 1845 – died February 28, 1934) was an English scientist. He was an amateur geologist, which means he studied rocks and the Earth. He was especially interested in crystallography, which is the study of how crystals are shaped and put together. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very important group for scientists.
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William Barlow's Life Story
William Barlow was born in Islington, a part of London, England. His father was a successful builder. He made a lot of money by buying and selling land and buildings. This wealth meant William could go to private schools.
In 1875, William's father passed away. William and his brother inherited a lot of money. This allowed William to focus on his passion for crystallography. He did not need to work to earn a living.
His Amazing Crystal Work
William spent his time studying the shapes of crystalline structures. These are the natural, organized patterns that many solid materials form. He figured out that there are only 230 ways crystals can be arranged symmetrically. These arrangements are now called space groups.
He published his findings in 1894. Other scientists, Evgraf Fedorov and Arthur Schönflies, had also found similar results. However, William's way of looking at the problem was unique. He also created models of simple compounds. These included common salt, NaCl, and CsCl. Later, scientists used X-ray crystallography to confirm his models. This showed how accurate his ideas were.
A Leader in Science
From 1915 to 1918, William Barlow was the president of the English Mineralogical Society. This is a group for people who study minerals.
He passed away in Great Stanmore, Middlesex, England.
Awards and Recognition
- He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1908. This is a big honor for scientists.
- A special feature on the Moon was named after him. It is a wrinkle ridge called Dorsa Barlow.
- A new mineral was approved in 2010. It was named barlowite (Cu4FBr(OH)6) to honor him.
