ALBERT EINSTEIN..a great scientist
Albert Einstein (/ˈaɪnstaɪn/ EYEN-styne;[4] German: [ˈalbɛʁt ˈʔaɪnʃtaɪn] (listen); 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist,[5] widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest physicists of all time. Einstein is known for developing the theory of relativity, but he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics. Relativity and quantum mechanics are together the two pillars of modern physics.[3][6] His mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which arises from relativity theory, has been dubbed "the world's most famous equation".[7] His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science.[8][9] He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect",[10] a pivotal step in the development of quantum theory. His intellectual achievements and originality resulted in "Einstein" becoming synonymous with "genius".[11]
Albert Einstein
Einstein in 1921
Born14 March 1879
Ulm, Kingdom of Württemberg, German EmpireDied18 April 1955 (aged 76)
Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.Citizenship
Kingdom of Württemberg, part of the German Empire (1879–1896)[note 1]
Stateless (1896–1901)
Switzerland (1901–1955)
Austria, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1911–1912)
Kingdom of Prussia, part of the German Empire (1914–1918)[note 1]
Free State of Prussia (Weimar Republic, 1918–1933)
United States (1940–1955)
Education
Federal polytechnic school in Zurich (Federal teaching diploma, 1900)
University of Zurich (PhD, 1905)
Known for
Theory of Brownian motion
Spouse(s)
(m. 1903; div. 1919)
Children
Awards
Barnard Medal (1920)
Nobel Prize in Physics (1921)
Matteucci Medal (1921)
Copley Medal (1925)[3]
Max Planck Medal (1929)
Time Person of the Century (1999)
Scientific careerFieldsPhysics, philosophyInstitutions
Swiss Patent Office (Bern) (1902–1909)
University of Bern (1908–1909)
University of Zurich (1909–1911)
Charles University in Prague (1911–1912)
ETH Zurich (1912–1914)
Prussian Academy of Sciences (1914–1933)
Humboldt University of Berlin (1914–1933)
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute (director, 1917–1933)
German Physical Society (president, 1916–1918)
Leiden University (visits, 1920)
Institute for Advanced Study (1933–1955)
Caltech (visits, 1931–1933)
University of Oxford (visits, 1931–1933)
ThesisEine neue Bestimmung der Moleküldimensionen (A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions) (1905)Doctoral advisorAlfred KleinerOther academic advisorsHeinrich Friedrich WeberInfluences
Influenced
Virtually all modern physics
Signature
In 1905, a year sometimes described as his annus mirabilis ('miracle year'), Einstein published four groundbreaking papers besides his work at the Swiss patent office in Bern, Switzerland.[12] These outlined the theory of the photoelectric effect, explained Brownian motion, introduced special relativity, and demonstrated mass-energy equivalence. Einstein thought that the laws of classical mechanics could no longer be reconciled with those of the electromagnetic field, which led him to develop his special theory of relativity. He then extended the theory to gravitational fields; he published a paper on general relativity in 1916, introducing his theory of gravitation. In 1917, he applied the general theory of relativity to model the structure of the universe.[13][14] He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory, which led to his explanations of particle theory and the motion of molecules. He also investigated the thermal properties of light and the quantum theory of radiation, which laid the foundation of the photon theory of light. However, for much of the later part of his career, he worked on two ultimately unsuccessful endeavors. First, despite his great contributions to quantum mechanics, he opposed what it evolved into, objecting that nature "does not play dice".[15] Second, he attempted to devise a unified field theory by generalizing his geometric theory of gravitation to include electromagnetism. As a result, he became increasingly isolated from the mainstream of modern physics.
Einstein was born in the German Empire, but moved to Switzerland in 1895, forsaking his German citizenship (subject of the Kingdom of Württemberg)[note 1] the following year. In 1897, at the age of 17, he enrolled in the four-year mathematics and physics teaching diploma program at the Swiss Federal polytechnic school (later renamed as ETH Zurich) in Zürich, he graduated in 1900. In 1901, he acquired Swiss citizenship, which he kept for the rest of his life. In 1905, he was awarded a PhD by the University of Zurich. In 1914, Einstein moved to Berlin in order to join the Prussian Academy of Sciences and the Humboldt University of Berlin, and to direct the 1917 created Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics; he also became a German citizen again – Prussian this time. In 1933, while Einstein was visiting the United States, Adolf Hitler came to power. Einstein did not return to Germany because he objected to the policies of the newly elected Nazi-led government.[16] He settled in the United States and became an American citizen in 1940.[17] On the eve of World War II, he endorsed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt alerting him to the potential German nuclear weapons program and recommending that the US begin similar research. Einstein supported the Allies, but he generally denounced the idea of nuclear weapons.