William Lewis (physical chemist) facts for kids

William Cudmore McCullagh Lewis (born June 29, 1885 – died February 11, 1956) was an important British chemist and a university professor. He was known for his work at the University of Liverpool, where he held a special position called the Brunner Professor of Physical Chemistry. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.

About William Lewis

William Lewis was born in Belfast, which is in Northern Ireland. His father, Edward Lewis, was a linen merchant. William went to school at Bangor Grammar School and then studied physics and chemistry at the Royal University of Ireland in Belfast.

After finishing his studies in 1906, he worked as a demonstrator (someone who helps teach in a lab) for a year. Then, he moved to England to the University of Liverpool. There, he focused on a field called physical chemistry. He even received a scholarship to study for a year at Heidelberg University in Germany.

Becoming a Professor

In 1913, William Lewis became the Brunner Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Liverpool. This was a very important job! He held this position for many years.

The Collision Theory

One of William Lewis's most famous ideas came in 1918. He developed a scientific idea called the "Collision Theory". This theory helps explain how chemical reactions happen.

What is Collision Theory?

Imagine tiny particles, like molecules, floating around. For these particles to react and form something new, they usually need to bump into each other. The Collision Theory suggests that these "collisions" are key. Not every bump leads to a reaction, though! The particles need to hit each other with enough energy and in the right way for a reaction to happen.

Interestingly, another scientist named Max Trautz in Germany came up with a similar idea around the same time, in 1916. William Lewis didn't know about Trautz's work because of World War I.

A Great Honor

In 1926, William Lewis was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very special group of top scientists in the United Kingdom. Being a Fellow means that other scientists recognize your important contributions to science.

He was honored for his deep research in physical chemistry. He studied how energy affects chemical changes. He was one of the first scientists to use the idea of "energy quanta" (tiny packets of energy) to understand chemical reactions. His early work in this area was very valuable and opened up new ways for other scientists to do research. He also wrote a famous book called 'A System of Physical Chemistry'.

Later Life

In 1937, his professorship changed slightly, and he became the first Grant-Brunner Professor of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry. He continued in this role until 1948.

William Lewis passed away in 1956 in Malvern. He was married to Jeannie Waterson Darrock, and they had one son, Ian. Ian followed in his father's footsteps and became a physicist, working at the Harwell Atomic Energy Research Establishment.