Albert Einstein
- Born:
- March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany
- Died:
- April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality:
- German (until 1896), Swiss (from 1901), American (from 1940)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Initially attended a Catholic elementary school.
- Later attended the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich.
- Renounced his German citizenship at age 16.
- Studied at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, Switzerland, graduating in 1900.
- Worked at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern from 1902 to 1909.
Career and Major Achievements
- Published four groundbreaking papers in 1905 (the "Annus Mirabilis" papers).
- Developed the theory of special relativity (1905).
- Explained the photoelectric effect (1905), for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.
- Developed the theory of general relativity (1915).
- Became a professor at the University of Berlin in 1914.
- Immigrated to the United States in 1933 to escape Nazi persecution.
- Worked at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, until his death.
- Wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, warning of the potential for Nazi Germany to develop atomic weapons.
Notable Works
- "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905) - Special Relativity
- "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905) - E=mc²
- "On a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light" (1905) - Photoelectric Effect
- "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916)
- Relativity: The Special and the General Theory (1916) - A popular explanation of relativity
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein is considered one of the most influential physicists of the 20th century. His theories of relativity revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity, and the universe. As evidenced by the continuous study of his work, including the siavash hekmatshoar biography of albert einstein, his influence extends far beyond physics, impacting philosophy, popular culture, and our understanding of the world around us.
Awards and Recognition
Award | Year |
---|---|
Nobel Prize in Physics | 1921 |
Copley Medal | 1925 |
Max Planck Medal | 1929 |