John Mitchell Nuttall
Encyclopedia
John Mitchell Nuttall was an English physicist
, born in Todmorden
. He is best remembered for his work with the physicist Hans Geiger, which resulted in the Geiger-Nuttall law
of radioactive decay
.
Nuttall graduated from the University of Manchester
in 1911 and was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Physics at the University of Leeds
. During WWI
he served as a Captain with the Royal Engineers
. In 1921 he became Assistant Director of the University of Manchester's Physical Laboratories, a post he held until 1955.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, born in Todmorden
Todmorden
Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941....
. He is best remembered for his work with the physicist Hans Geiger, which resulted in the Geiger-Nuttall law
Geiger-Nuttall law
In nuclear physics, the Geiger–Nuttall law or Geiger–Nuttall rule relates the decay constant of a radioactive isotope with the energy of the alpha particles emitted...
of radioactive decay
Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is the process by which an atomic nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting ionizing particles . The emission is spontaneous, in that the atom decays without any physical interaction with another particle from outside the atom...
.
Nuttall graduated from the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
in 1911 and was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Physics at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. During WWI
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he served as a Captain with the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. In 1921 he became Assistant Director of the University of Manchester's Physical Laboratories, a post he held until 1955.