T. H. Laby
Encyclopedia
Thomas Howell Laby, FRS, (3 May 1880 – 21 June 1946) was an Australian physicist
and chemist
, Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of Melbourne
1915–1942. Along with G. W. C. Kaye, he was one of the founding editors of the Tables of physical and chemical constants with some mathematical functions, usually known simply as "Kaye and Laby".
, Australia, Laby moved with his family to New South Wales
around 1883. Laby's father, Thomas James Laby, a flour-miller, died in 1888. After some schooling at country schools and private study, Laby joined the Taxation Department in 1898 but soon gained a position in the chemical laboratory of the Department of Agriculture.
. He took evening classes at the University and soon had two papers published by the Royal Society of New South Wales
: 'The separation of iron from nickel and cobalt' in 1903 and 'Preliminary observations on radio-activity and the occurrence of radium in Australian minerals' with Sir Douglas Mawson
in 1904.
In 1905 Laby went to England to study under Sir J. J. Thomson
at the Cavendish Laboratory
, University of Cambridge
. There he received a Bachelor of Arts
degree by theses on the ionization produced by alpha-particles and on the supersaturation and nuclear condensation of organic vapours. He also met Ernest Rutherford
there, who became a friend.
Laby was appointed to the new chair of physics at Victoria University College in Wellington, New Zealand in 1909 and completed work with G. W. C. Kaye resulting in publication of Tables of physical and chemical constants with some mathematical functions (London, 1911); the title has had sixteen editions as of 2007. Laby was president of section A of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science in Melbourne, 1912.
Laby had married in 1914 and the next year was appointed to the chair of natural philosophy at the University of Melbourne
. He developed valves for an anti-gas respirator, performed radiographic testing of fuses and inspected X-ray
equipment for military hospitals.
Laby was awarded a Doctor of Science
by Cambridge University in 1921 and carried on his research, mainly into heat and X-ray spectroscopy. He was Commonwealth adviser in Radium
at the Commonwealth Radium Laboratory when it was established in 1929 on university grounds. In 1927 he joined the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's Australian Radio Research Board.
In 1924 Laby was president of the Royal Society of Victoria
, in 1931 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, in 1939 was inaugural president of the Australian Institute of Physics and chairman of the Optical Munitions Panel 1940-44.
, he died on 21 June 1946 of arteriosclerosis
. He was survived by his wife and two daughters.
bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post
http://www.australianstamp.com/images/large/0011850.jpg.
exhibition
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...
and chemist
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
1915–1942. Along with G. W. C. Kaye, he was one of the founding editors of the Tables of physical and chemical constants with some mathematical functions, usually known simply as "Kaye and Laby".
Early life
Born in Creswick, VictoriaCreswick, Victoria
Creswick is a town in west-central Victoria, Australia. It is located 18 kilometres north of Ballarat and 129 km northwest of Melbourne, in Shire of Hepburn. It is 430 metres above sea level. At the 2006 census, Creswick had a population of 2,485...
, Australia, Laby moved with his family to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
around 1883. Laby's father, Thomas James Laby, a flour-miller, died in 1888. After some schooling at country schools and private study, Laby joined the Taxation Department in 1898 but soon gained a position in the chemical laboratory of the Department of Agriculture.
Career
In 1901 Laby obtained a position of junior demonstrator in chemistry at the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He took evening classes at the University and soon had two papers published by the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
: 'The separation of iron from nickel and cobalt' in 1903 and 'Preliminary observations on radio-activity and the occurrence of radium in Australian minerals' with Sir Douglas Mawson
Douglas Mawson
Sir Douglas Mawson, OBE, FRS, FAA was an Australian geologist, Antarctic explorer and Academic. Along with Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton, Mawson was a key expedition leader during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.-Early work:He was appointed geologist to an...
in 1904.
In 1905 Laby went to England to study under Sir J. J. Thomson
J. J. Thomson
Sir Joseph John "J. J." Thomson, OM, FRS was a British physicist and Nobel laureate. He is credited for the discovery of the electron and of isotopes, and the invention of the mass spectrometer...
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....
, University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. There he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree by theses on the ionization produced by alpha-particles and on the supersaturation and nuclear condensation of organic vapours. He also met Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM, FRS was a New Zealand-born British chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics...
there, who became a friend.
Laby was appointed to the new chair of physics at Victoria University College in Wellington, New Zealand in 1909 and completed work with G. W. C. Kaye resulting in publication of Tables of physical and chemical constants with some mathematical functions (London, 1911); the title has had sixteen editions as of 2007. Laby was president of section A of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science in Melbourne, 1912.
Laby had married in 1914 and the next year was appointed to the chair of natural philosophy at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. He developed valves for an anti-gas respirator, performed radiographic testing of fuses and inspected X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
equipment for military hospitals.
Laby was awarded a Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
by Cambridge University in 1921 and carried on his research, mainly into heat and X-ray spectroscopy. He was Commonwealth adviser in Radium
Radium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
at the Commonwealth Radium Laboratory when it was established in 1929 on university grounds. In 1927 he joined the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's Australian Radio Research Board.
In 1924 Laby was president of the Royal Society of Victoria
Royal Society of Victoria
The Royal Society of Victoria is the oldest learned society in the state of Victoria in Australia.The Royal Society of Victoria was formed in 1859 from a merger between The Philosophical Society of Victoria and The Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science , both founded...
, in 1931 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, in 1939 was inaugural president of the Australian Institute of Physics and chairman of the Optical Munitions Panel 1940-44.
Late life
Laby had suffered from low blood pressure and asthmaAsthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, he died on 21 June 1946 of arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis refers to a stiffening of arteries.Arteriosclerosis is a general term describing any hardening of medium or large arteries It should not be confused with "arteriolosclerosis" or "atherosclerosis".Also known by the name "myoconditis" which is...
. He was survived by his wife and two daughters.
Honours
In 1976 he was honoured on a postage stampPostage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
http://www.australianstamp.com/images/large/0011850.jpg.
External links
- Thomas Howell Laby a Bright Sparcs
exhibition