Libby , Willard Frank

Libby , Willard Frank
(1908–1980) American chemist
Born in Grand Valley, Colorado, Libby was educated at the University of California at Berkeley where he obtained his PhD in 1933 and began teaching. In 1941, he moved to Columbia, New York, to work on the development of the atom bomb. After World War II he was appointed professor of chemistry at the Institute for Nuclear Studies at the University of Chicago before returning to the University of California (1959) as director of the Institute of Geophysics.
Libby was responsible for considerably improving dating techniques. In 1939 Serge Korff discovered the existence of the radioactive isotope, carbon–14. This is different from the common stable isotope carbon–12 in that it contains an extra two neutrons in its nucleus. It is absorbed by all carbon users, such as animals and plants, during their lifetimes. It was established that the ratio of carbon–12 to carbon–14 in living organisms was constant and that on death the carbon–14 in the organism began to decay into nitrogen at a constant and measurable rate – carbon–14 has a half-life of 5730 years.
In 1947 Libby and his students at the University of Chicago's Institute for Nuclear Studies developed the radiocarbon dating technique using a highly sensitive geiger counter. He tested the process on objects of known age, such as timbers from Egyptian tombs. The test proved the technique to be reliable for the past 5000 years and it was assumed from this to be accurate as far back as radiocarbon could be measured, about 50,000 years. A later improvement extended the range to about 70,000 years.
The radiocarbon dating technique proved of immense value to the earth sciences, archaeology, and anthropology, and for its development Libby was awarded the 1960 Nobel Prize for chemistry. His published works included Radiocarbon Dating(1952).

Scientists. . 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Libby,Willard Frank — Lib·by (lĭbʹē), Willard Frank. 1908 1980. American chemist. He won a 1960 Nobel Prize for developing the method of radiocarbon dating. * * * …   Universalium

  • Libby, Willard Frank — ▪ American chemist born Dec. 17, 1908, Grand Valley, Colo., U.S. died Sept. 8, 1980, Los Angeles, Calif.       American chemist whose technique of carbon 14 (or radiocarbon) dating (carbon 14 dating) provided an extremely valuable tool for… …   Universalium

  • Libby, Willard (Frank) — born Dec. 17, 1908, Grand Valley, Colo., U.S. died Sept. 8, 1980, Los Angeles, Calif. U.S. chemist. He studied at the University of California at Berkeley and later taught there and at the University of Chicago and UCLA. With the Manhattan… …   Universalium

  • Libby, Willard (Frank) — (17 dic. 1908, Grand Valley, Col., EE.UU.–8 sep. 1980, Los Ángeles, Cal.). Químico estadounidense. Estudió en la Universidad de California en Berkeley, y más tarde fue profesor en ella y en las universidades de Chicago y California en Los Ángeles …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Willard Frank Libby — (* 17. Dezember 1908 in Grand Valley, Colorado; † 8. September 1980 in Los Angeles) war ein US amerikanischer Chemiker und Physiker. Für die Entwicklung der Radiokohlenstoffmethode zur Bestimmung des Alters archäologischer Funde erhielt er 1960… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Willard Frank Libby — (17 décembre 1908, Grand Valley, Colorado, États Unis 8 septembre 1980, Los Angeles) est un physicien et chimiste américain connu pour son rôle dans le développement de la méthode de datation par le carbone 14, qui a révolutionné l archéologie.… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Willard Frank Libby — noun United States chemist who developed a method of radiocarbon dating (1908 1980) • Syn: ↑Libby • Instance Hypernyms: ↑chemist …   Useful english dictionary

  • Libby — Willard Frank …   Scientists

  • Libby's — Libby , Willard Frank …   Scientists

  • Frank Libby — Willard Frank Libby (* 17. Dezember 1908 in Grand Valley, Colorado; † 8. September 1980 in Los Angeles) war ein US amerikanischer Chemiker. Für die Entwicklung der Radiokarbonmethode zur Bestimmung des Alters archäologischer Funde erhielt er 1960 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”