Neal H. Williams
Encyclopedia
Neal Hooker Williams was a physicist
notable for the very first spectroscopic measurements at microwave
frequencies. He carried this out with a magnetron and investigated the spectrum
of gaseous ammonia
together with his student Claud E. Cleeton
. This formed the groundwork for the later inventions of the radar
and the gas laser
.
with a thesis entitled The Stability of Residual Magnetism.
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...
notable for the very first spectroscopic measurements at microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
frequencies. He carried this out with a magnetron and investigated the spectrum
Spectrum
A spectrum is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary infinitely within a continuum. The word saw its first scientific use within the field of optics to describe the rainbow of colors in visible light when separated using a prism; it has since been applied by...
of gaseous ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
together with his student Claud E. Cleeton
Claud E. Cleeton
Claud Edwin Cleeton was a physicist notable for his groundbreaking work, with Neal H. Williams, on the microwave spectroscopy of ammonia. This was the groundwork that led to the eventual development of the radar.-Education:...
. This formed the groundwork for the later inventions of the radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and the gas laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
.
Education
He completed his PhD in 1912 at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
with a thesis entitled The Stability of Residual Magnetism.
Books by Williams
- Walter S. HuxfordWalter S. HuxfordWalter Scott Huxford was a professor of physics at Northwestern University and was a co-inventor of the sunburnometer.-Education:His education included a bachelor's degree at Doane College, a master's degree at the University of Nebraska, and a PhD degree at the University of Michigan in 1928, with...
and Neal H. Williams, Determination of the Charge of Positive Thermions from Measurements of the Shot Effect, Minneapolis, Minn., 1929. - Claud E. CleetonClaud E. CleetonClaud Edwin Cleeton was a physicist notable for his groundbreaking work, with Neal H. Williams, on the microwave spectroscopy of ammonia. This was the groundwork that led to the eventual development of the radar.-Education:...
and Neal H. Williams, Electromagnetic Waves of 1.1 cm Wave-Length and the Absorption Spectrum of Ammonia, Lancaster, Pa., Lancaster press, inc., 1934. - Harrison M. Randall, Neal H. Williams, and Walter F. Colby, General College Physics, New York, London, Harper & brothers, 1929.
- Neal H. Williams, The Stability of Residual Magnetism, New York, 1913.
See also
- Trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry
- AmmoniaAmmoniaAmmonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
- Microwave spectroscopy
- Claud E. CleetonClaud E. CleetonClaud Edwin Cleeton was a physicist notable for his groundbreaking work, with Neal H. Williams, on the microwave spectroscopy of ammonia. This was the groundwork that led to the eventual development of the radar.-Education:...