Francis Bitter
Encyclopedia
Francis Bitter was an American
physicist
.
Bitter invented the Bitter plate used in resistive magnets (also called Bitter electromagnet
s). He is the one who thought of using dust to visualize a magnetic field
. (Many grade school children put metal filings on a paper with a magnet underneath to help visualize magnetic field lines.) He built the Bitter electromagnet by using stacked copper plates, rather than coiled wire. Previous to this time there was no way to cool the magnet
s, so their power was limited.
, was a prominent sculptor.
in 1919, but chose to leave his studies there in 1922 in order to visit Europe. He later transferred to Columbia University
and graduated in 1925.
He continued his studies in Berlin
from 1925 to 1926 and received a Ph.D.
at Columbia in 1928. At Columbia, Bitter began his life-long fascination with magnets.
Under a National Research Council
fellowship, Bitter studied gases at Caltech with Robert Andrews Millikan, from 1928 to 1930. While at Caltech, he married Alice Coomara. She had been a moderately successful singer working under the stage name Ratan Devi.
In 1930, Bitter went to work for Westinghouse, where he worked on various theoretical and applied problems concerning ferromagnetism
.
With a Guggenheim Fellowship
, Bitter travelled to England in 1933 and worked at the Cavendish Laboratory
at Cambridge University. There. he worked with Peter Kapitza on pulsed magnetic fields.
The following year, Bitter returned to America and his work at Westinghouse. Later in 1934, he joined the faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and continued to consult for Westinghouse.
While at MIT, he developed the Bitter electromagnet which was/is the most powerful electromagnet design. He established a magnet laboratory in 1938, where he built a solenoid magnet that produced a constant field of 100,000 gauss (10 tesla
s).
He also did work in the first characterization of the Zeeman effect
with George Harrison.
During the Second World War, Bitter worked for the Naval Bureau of Ordinance. He often traveled to England to work finding out ways to demagnetize British ships to protect them from a new type of German mine. This new type of German mine used a compass needle to detonate itself. The mine, dropped from the air, would sink to the bottom of the river and sit there with its magnetic needle aligned to the Earth's magnetic field at that particular spot. When a British ship passed by over it, the mass of the ship caused the magnetic needle inside the mine to move slightly. The movement was enough to detonate the mine and cause an underwater explosion powerful enough to send up huge geysers. These geysers would literally lift a ship out of the water and severely damage the ship's infrastructure. In his autobiography "Magnets, The Education Of A Physicist", he referred to this unique work as "Degaussing the fleet". (It is possible that he worked with Francis Crick
, who was researching the same problem.)
After the War, Bitter returned to MIT and joined the faculty of the physics department. He became a full professor in 1951, and from 1956 to 1960, he served as the associate dean of MIT's school of science. From 1962 to 1965, Bitter was the housemaster of Ashdown House, MIT's graduate dormitory.
is named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physicist
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
.
Bitter invented the Bitter plate used in resistive magnets (also called Bitter electromagnet
Bitter electromagnet
A Bitter electromagnet or Bitter solenoid is a type of electromagnet used in scientific research to create extremely strong magnetic fields. It is constructed of circular metal plates and insulating spacers stacked in a helical configuration, rather than coils of wire. This design was invented in...
s). He is the one who thought of using dust to visualize a magnetic field
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
. (Many grade school children put metal filings on a paper with a magnet underneath to help visualize magnetic field lines.) He built the Bitter electromagnet by using stacked copper plates, rather than coiled wire. Previous to this time there was no way to cool the magnet
Magnet
A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.A permanent magnet is an object...
s, so their power was limited.
Early life
Francis Bitter was born in the Weehawken Township, New Jersey. His father, Karl BitterKarl Bitter
Karl Theodore Francis Bitter was an Austrian-born United States sculptor best known for his architectural sculpture, memorials and residential work.- Life and career :...
, was a prominent sculptor.
Education and early career
Bitter entered the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1919, but chose to leave his studies there in 1922 in order to visit Europe. He later transferred to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and graduated in 1925.
He continued his studies in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
from 1925 to 1926 and received a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at Columbia in 1928. At Columbia, Bitter began his life-long fascination with magnets.
Under a National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
fellowship, Bitter studied gases at Caltech with Robert Andrews Millikan, from 1928 to 1930. While at Caltech, he married Alice Coomara. She had been a moderately successful singer working under the stage name Ratan Devi.
In 1930, Bitter went to work for Westinghouse, where he worked on various theoretical and applied problems concerning ferromagnetism
Ferromagnetism
Ferromagnetism is the basic mechanism by which certain materials form permanent magnets, or are attracted to magnets. In physics, several different types of magnetism are distinguished...
.
With a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
, Bitter travelled to England in 1933 and worked at the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
at Cambridge University. There. he worked with Peter Kapitza on pulsed magnetic fields.
The following year, Bitter returned to America and his work at Westinghouse. Later in 1934, he joined the faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and continued to consult for Westinghouse.
Career at MIT
Bitter joined the Department of Mining and Metallurgy as an associate professor in 1934. (The department is now known as Materials Science and Engineering.)While at MIT, he developed the Bitter electromagnet which was/is the most powerful electromagnet design. He established a magnet laboratory in 1938, where he built a solenoid magnet that produced a constant field of 100,000 gauss (10 tesla
Tesla (unit)
The tesla is the SI derived unit of magnetic field B . One tesla is equal to one weber per square meter, and it was defined in 1960 in honour of the inventor, physicist, and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla...
s).
He also did work in the first characterization of the Zeeman effect
Zeeman effect
The Zeeman effect is the splitting of a spectral line into several components in the presence of a static magnetic field. It is analogous to the Stark effect, the splitting of a spectral line into several components in the presence of an electric field...
with George Harrison.
During the Second World War, Bitter worked for the Naval Bureau of Ordinance. He often traveled to England to work finding out ways to demagnetize British ships to protect them from a new type of German mine. This new type of German mine used a compass needle to detonate itself. The mine, dropped from the air, would sink to the bottom of the river and sit there with its magnetic needle aligned to the Earth's magnetic field at that particular spot. When a British ship passed by over it, the mass of the ship caused the magnetic needle inside the mine to move slightly. The movement was enough to detonate the mine and cause an underwater explosion powerful enough to send up huge geysers. These geysers would literally lift a ship out of the water and severely damage the ship's infrastructure. In his autobiography "Magnets, The Education Of A Physicist", he referred to this unique work as "Degaussing the fleet". (It is possible that he worked with Francis Crick
Francis Crick
Francis Harry Compton Crick OM FRS was an English molecular biologist, biophysicist, and neuroscientist, and most noted for being one of two co-discoverers of the structure of the DNA molecule in 1953, together with James D. Watson...
, who was researching the same problem.)
After the War, Bitter returned to MIT and joined the faculty of the physics department. He became a full professor in 1951, and from 1956 to 1960, he served as the associate dean of MIT's school of science. From 1962 to 1965, Bitter was the housemaster of Ashdown House, MIT's graduate dormitory.
Legacy
The Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, formerly a national laboratory, in CambridgeCambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
is named in his honor.
External links
- Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory website
- A Magnet Laboratory. 1959 educational film from the Physical Sciences Study CommitteePhysical Sciences Study CommitteeThe Physical Science Study Committee was inaugurated at MIT in 1956 with the objective of reviewing introductory physics education and designing and monitoring improvements...
featuring Francis Bitter.