Purcell, Edward Mills

Purcell, Edward Mills
▪ 1998

      American physicist (b. Aug. 30, 1912, Taylorville, Ill.—d. March 7, 1997, Cambridge, Mass.), shared the 1952 Nobel Prize for Physics with Felix Bloch for independently developing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a method used to detect and measure the magnetic fields of atomic nuclei and a powerful tool for investigating molecular structures and chemical interactions. Purcell's work formed the basis of spectroscopic and imaging techniques with applications ranging from chemical analysis and radio astronomy to medical diagnosis. He studied electrical engineering as an undergraduate at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., during which time he developed an interest in physics. After graduation (B.S., 1933) he spent a year at the Technische Hochschule in Karlsruhe, Ger., studying physics as an international exchange student. On returning to the United States, he enrolled at Harvard University, receiving a master's degree (1935) and doctorate (1938) in physics. Purcell, who spent most of his career at Harvard, served as an instructor there until 1941 and as a full professor from 1949 until his retirement in 1980. He took a brief leave of absence from the university during World War II, however, when he contributed to the war effort as a member of a research team investigating shortwave radar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He returned to Harvard in 1946 and soon thereafter developed NMR methodology for measuring magnetic fields in atomic nuclei. In 1951 Purcell applied the principles of this discovery to detecting the wavelengths of radiation emitted from neutral hydrogen clouds in space. His research proved useful to astronomers attempting to map galactic structures in the universe. Purcell wrote a number of classic books on microwaves, electricity, and magnetism, including Physics: For Science and Engineering Students (1952), which he coauthored, and Electricity and Magnetism (1965). He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1951 and received the National Medal of Science from the National Science Foundation in 1978.

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  • Purcell , Edward Mills — (1912–) American physicist Purcell was born at Taylorville, Illinois. He gained his BSc degree in electrical engineering at Purdue University, Illinois (1933) and his masters degree and PhD from Harvard (1938), having also spent a year in Germany …   Scientists

  • Purcell, Edward Mills — ► (1912 97) Físico estadounidense. Fue premio Nobel de Física en 1952, compartido con Bloch, por su descubrimiento de la resonancia magnética nuclear en los sólidos …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Edward Mills Purcell — Edward Mills Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell (* 30. August 1912 in Taylorville, Illinois; † 7. März 1997 in Cambridge, Massachusetts) war ein amerikanischer Physiker. Purcell studierte an der Purdue University (Bachelor Abschluss in Elekt …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Edward Mills Purcell — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell (30 août 1912 7  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Edward Mills Purcell — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Retrato de 1952. Edward Mills Purcell (Taylorville, 30 de agosto de 1912 Cambridge, 7 de marzo de 1997) fue un físico estadounidense que compartió el Premio Nobel de Física de 1952 con Felix Bloch por sus… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Edward Mills Purcell — Infobox Scientist name = Edward Purcell imagesize = 180px caption = Edward Mills Purcell (1912 1997) birth date = August 30, 1912 birth place = Taylorville, Illinois, USA death date = March 7, 1997 death place = Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA… …   Wikipedia

  • Purcell — Edward Mills …   Scientists

  • Edward M. Purcell — Edward Mills Purcell Pour les articles homonymes, voir Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell (30 août 1912 7  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Edward Purcell — Edward Mills Purcell Pour les articles homonymes, voir Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell (30 août 1912 7  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Edward M. Purcell — Edward Mills Purcell. Edward Mills Purcell (* 30. August 1912 in Taylorville, Illinois; † 7. März 1997 in Cambridge, Massachusetts) war ein amerikanischer Physiker. Purcell entdeckte 1945 die Kernspinresonanz (NMR) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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