Sorby, Henry Clifton

Sorby, Henry Clifton
born May 10, 1826, Woodbourne, near Sheffield, Yorkshire, Eng.
died March 9, 1908, Sheffield

British amateur scientist.

Convinced of the value of the microscope to geology, Sorby began in 1849 to prepare thin sections of rocks, about 0.001 in. (0.025 mm) thick, for microscopic study. He developed a new type of spectrum microscope for analyzing the light of organic pigments (1865). His research on meteors led to studies of iron and steel, and his later studies included the origin of layered rocks, weathering, and marine biology. He published works dealing with the physical geography of geologic periods, rock breakdown and buildup, and the formation of river terraces. Sorby is considered the father of microscopical petrography and metallography.

* * *

▪ British geologist
born May 10, 1826, Woodbourne, near Sheffield, Yorkshire, Eng.
died March 9, 1908, Sheffield

      English geologist whose microscopic studies of thin slices of rock earned him the title “father of microscopical petrography.”

      Sorby's early investigations were concerned with agricultural chemistry, but his interests soon turned to geology. He published works dealing with the physical geography of geologic periods, rock denudation and deposition, and the formation of river terraces.

      Convinced of the value of the microscope as a tool in all sciences, Sorby began to prepare thin sections of rocks (about 0.025 millimetre, or 1/1000 inch thick) for microscopic study in 1849. His subsequent findings demonstrated the value of petrography, the descriptive branch of the study of rocks. In his memoir “On the Microscopical Structure of Crystals,” in the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London (1858), he championed the use of microscopic techniques in geology.

      In 1865 Sorby announced a new type of spectrum microscope for analyzing the light of organic pigments, especially minute bloodstains. His research on meteoric geology led to studies of iron and steel, and he concluded that steel is a crystallized igneous rock. His later studies included the origin of stratified rocks, weathering, and marine biology.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sorby, Henry Clifton — (10 may. 1826, Woodbourne, cerca de Sheffield, Yorkshire, Inglaterra–9 mar. 1908, Sheffield). Científico aficionado británico. Convencido del valor del microscopio para la geología, empezó en 1849 a preparar secciones delgadas de rocas, de más o… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Henry Clifton Sorby — Henry Clifton Sorby. Retrato en Mappin Hall, Universidad de Leeds Nacimiento 10 de mayo de 1826 Woodbourne, Sheffield, Yorkshi …   Wikipedia Español

  • Henry Clifton Sorby — Porträt in Mappin Hall, University of Sheffield Henry Clifton Sorby (* 10. Mai 1826 in Woodbourne bei Sheffield; † 10. März 1908 in Sheffield) war ein englischer Naturforscher. Sorby besuchte die Kollegiatschule in Sheffield …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Henry Clifton Sorby — (May 10, 1826 ndash; March 9, 1908), English microscopist and geologist, was born at Woodbourne near Sheffield in Yorkshire.He attended Sheffield Collegiate School.He early developed an interest in natural science, and one of his first papers… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Clifton Sorby — (10 mai 1826 9 mars 1908) est un géologue et spécialiste en microscopie britannique. Il naît à Woodbourne près de Sheffield. Il s intéresse tôt a l histoire naturelle et un de ses premiers articles se rapporte aux fouilles dans les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sorby — Henry Clifton Sorby (* 10. Mai 1826 in Woodbourne bei Sheffield; † 10. März 1908 in Sheffield) war ein englischer Naturforscher. Sorby besuchte die Kollegiatschule in Sheffield und widmete sich dann naturwissenschaftlichen Studien auf seinem Gut… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • SORBY (H. C.) — SORBY HENRY CLIFTON (1826 1908) Géologue anglais, né à Woodbourne et mort à Sheffield, qui, par ses études sur les roches en lames minces, a mérité le nom de père de la pétrographie microscopique. Les premières recherches de Henry Clifton Sorby… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Sorby — Sorby, Henry Clifton, Naturforscher, geb. 10. Mai 1826 in Woodburn bei Sheffield, widmete sich naturwissenschaftlichen Studien auf seinem Gute Broomfield bei Sheffield und erreichte bedeutende Erfolge namentlich durch Anwendung des Mikroskops auf …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Sorby — Sorby, Henry Clifton, engl. Naturforscher, geb. 10. Mai 1826 zu Woodbourne (Sheffield), lebt auf seinem Landsitz Bromfield bei Sheffield, bes. verdient durch mikroskopische Untersuchungen und Anwendungen physik. Methoden auf geolog. Probleme …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • henry — /hen ree/, n., pl. henries, henrys. Elect. the SI unit of inductance, formally defined to be the inductance of a closed circuit in which an electromotive force of one volt is produced when the electric current in the circuit varies uniformly at a …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

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