William Ramsay

Profession: Chemist

Nationality:

Biography: William Ramsay was a Scottish chemist who made significant contributions to the field of chemistry, most notably the discovery of the noble gases. His groundbreaking work in this area earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904.

Ramsay was born in Scotland, and educated at the University of Glasgow and the University of Tübingen in Germany. His early work focused on organic chemistry, but his interests shifted to inorganic chemistry and the study of gases.

His most famous work involved the discovery of a new group of elements: the noble gases. In 1894, Ramsay collaborated with John William Strutt, better known as Lord Rayleigh, to isolate and identify argon, a new element in the air that did not fit into the existing periodic table. This discovery challenged the common notion that the atmosphere was solely composed of known elements like nitrogen and oxygen.

Building on this discovery, Ramsay continued to search for other similar gases. He went on to discover helium (which had only been identified in the sun) in terrestrial minerals in 1895, and in the following years, he discovered neon, krypton, and xenon. These discoveries greatly expanded the understanding of the composition of the atmosphere and led to the creation of a new group in the periodic table.

Ramsay's work on the noble gases was not only pivotal in the field of chemistry but also had implications in other areas of science and industry. The discovery of these gases, which are characterized by their lack of chemical reactivity, led to advancements in fields such as lighting, welding, and space exploration.

Apart from his Nobel Prize, Ramsay received many other honors and awards. He was knighted in 1902, for instance, and was a fellow of the Royal Society.

Born: October 2, 1852
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Star Sign: Libra

Died: July 23, 1916 (aged 63)