Life History

Charles Glover Barkla was a British physicist who is best known for his work on X-ray spectroscopy.

Biography of Charles Glover Barkla and Discovery

Charles Barkla Birth

Charles Glover Barkla was born on June 7, 1877 in Widnes, United Kingdom.

Charles Barkla Accomplishments

Charles Glover Barkla was a British physicist who made important contributions to the field of X-ray spectroscopy...

Discovery of the characteristic X-ray radiation: Barkla discovered that when a beam of X-rays was directed at a metal, the metal emitted X-rays of specific wavelengths and frequencies. He called this phenomenon "characteristic X-ray radiation."

Development of the X-ray spectrometer: Barkla developed an X-ray spectrometer that allowed him to measure the wavelengths and frequencies of X-rays with great accuracy. This instrument became an important tool for studying the structure of atoms and molecules.

Confirmation of the wave-particle duality of light: Barkla's experiments on X-ray diffraction provided further evidence for the wave-particle duality of light, which had been proposed by earlier scientists like Einstein and Planck.

Nobel Prize in Physics: In 1917, Barkla was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his discovery of the characteristic RΓΆntgen radiation of the elements." This was the first Nobel Prize awarded for work in X-ray spectroscopy.

Barkla's work helped to advance our understanding of the nature of light and the structure of atoms and molecules, and his contributions continue to be important in modern physics.

Charles Barkla Family Background

Charles Glover Barkla's father name John Martin Barkla and mother name Sarah Glover.

Charles Glover Barkla's father, John Martin Barkla, was a secretary for the Atlas Chemical Company in Widnes, England. He was born in Liverpool in 1847 and spent most of his life working as a clerk or secretary for various companies. John Martin Barkla married Sarah Glover in 1871, and they had four children, including Charles Glover Barkla. John Martin Barkla was a supportive father who encouraged his son's interest in science and mathematics, and he played a role in fostering Charles's passion for physics.

Charles Glover Barkla's mother, Sarah Glover, was the daughter of a watchmaker. She was born in 1847 in Warrington, England, and grew up in a family of modest means. Not much information is available about her background or education, but she likely had limited opportunities for formal schooling. Sarah married John Martin Barkla in 1871, and they had four children, including Charles Glover Barkla. Sarah was known for her kindness and her strong Christian faith, which she passed on to her children. She supported her son's interest in science and encouraged his pursuit of a career in physics.

Charles Glover Barkla had three siblings an older brother named John Martin Barkla Jr., and two younger sisters named Alice Mary Barkla and Edith Sybil Barkla.

John Martin Barkla Jr was the older brother of Charles Glover Barkla. Like his brother, he also had an interest in science and became a physicist. However, he did not achieve the same level of fame or recognition as his brother. Not much information is available about John Martin Barkla Jr's background or career, but it is known that he collaborated with Charles on some of his early experiments. He also served in the military during World War I, and after the war, he worked as a research physicist for the British government. John Martin Barkla Jr. died in 1945.

Alice Mary Barkla was one of the younger sisters of Charles Glover Barkla. Not much information is available about her background or career. She likely grew up in a middle-class family and may have received a formal education. It is not known if she had any particular interests or accomplishments in her life.

Edith Sybil Barkla was the youngest sister of Charles Glover Barkla. Not much information is available about her background or career, but it is known that she was a music teacher. She likely grew up in a middle-class family and may have received a formal education. As a music teacher, she would have had a strong background in music theory and instrumental technique. It is not known if she had any particular interests or accomplishments beyond her career as a teacher.

Charles Barkla Education

Charles Glover Barkla received his early education at the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys, where he excelled in mathematics and science. 

In 1896, he entered the University of Liverpool to study mathematics and physics, earning a B.Sc. degree with first-class honors in 1899. He then began postgraduate studies in physics at the University of Cambridge, where he was awarded a research studentship

Charles Barkla Career

After completing his PhD at the University of Cambridge, Charles Glover Barkla began his career as a physicist. In 1903, he was appointed a demonstrator in physics at the University of Cambridge, and in 1909 he became a professor of physics at King's College London. Barkla's research focused on X-rays and their interaction with matter, and he is best known for his discovery of X-ray scattering, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1917.

During World War I, Barkla worked for the British Admiralty, where he conducted research on submarine detection using X-rays. After the war, he returned to his academic career, becoming a professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh in 1919. He continued his research on X-rays, and in the 1920s he made important contributions to the development of X-ray crystallography.

Barkla was also active in scientific organizations, serving as president of the Institute of Physics from 1932 to 1934, and as a member of the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was awarded numerous honors for his contributions to physics, including a knighthood in 1939.

Charles Barkla Awards

Charles Glover Barkla was awarded several prestigious awards for his contributions to the field of physics.

Matteucci Medal (1910) - Awarded by the Italian Society of Sciences in recognition of his work on X-ray spectroscopy.

Hughes Medal (1915) - Awarded by the Royal Society for his discovery of X-ray scattering.

Nobel Prize in Physics (1917) - Awarded for his discovery of the characteristic X-ray radiation of the elements.

Royal Medal (1920) - Awarded by the Royal Society for his research on X-rays.

Copley Medal (1937) - Awarded by the Royal Society for his contributions to physics.

In addition to these awards, Barkla was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1913 and was knighted in 1939 for his contributions to science.

Charles Barkla Books

Charles Glover Barkla was primarily a physicist and researcher, and did not write any books as such. However, he published numerous research papers throughout his career in various scientific journals,

"On a Method of Measuring the Absorption of RΓΆntgen Rays in Gases" (1902)

"On the Scattering of RΓΆntgen Rays by Gases" (1903)

"A Preliminary Note on the Scattering of X-rays by Matter" (1910)

"The Absorption of X-rays and the Atomic Structure of Matter" (1912)

"The Phenomena of X-rays of Higher Frequency" (1925)

"The X-ray Spectra of Elements of Low Atomic Number" (1927)

"Crystal Diffraction of X-Rays" (1928)

"The Polarization of X-rays" (1930)

These papers were instrumental in advancing the field of X-ray spectroscopy and crystallography.

Charles Barkla Personal Life

Charles Glover Barkla and his wife Mary Esther Cowell had three children together. Their names were John Martin Barkla, Alice Mary Barkla, and Edith Sybil Barkla.

Charles Glover Barkla was a private person and little is known about his personal life beyond his professional achievements. He married Mary Esther Cowell in 1908 and they had three children together. Barkla was known to be a devoted family man, and he enjoyed spending time with his wife and children when he was not engaged in his research.

In his free time, Barkla was also an avid outdoorsman, and he enjoyed hiking, fishing, and hunting. He was also a talented pianist and often played music to relax after a day of work in the lab.

Barkla was a man of strong principles and was known for his integrity and honesty. He was also a deeply religious man and was active in his local church. His faith played an important role in his life and he saw his scientific work as a way to better understand the wonders of God's creation.

Barkla's Christian faith was an important part of his life, and he saw his scientific work as a way to better understand the wonders of God's creation. It is likely that his wife shared his religious beliefs, as they were both active in their local church.

Mary Esther Cowell, was born on June 10, 1881, in Liverpool, England. She was the daughter of William Henry Cowell, a railway clerk, and his wife, Alice Jane. Not much is known about her early life or education.

Mary Esther met Charles Glover Barkla while he was a professor of physics at the University of Liverpool, and they were married in 1908. Together, they had three children: John Martin Barkla, Alice Mary Barkla, and Edith Sybil Barkla.

Mary Esther was known to be a devoted wife and mother who supported her husband in his scientific work. She managed their household and took care of their children while Barkla focused on his research. She was also active in her local church and shared her husband's strong Christian faith.

Unfortunately, Mary Esther died relatively young, at the age of 51, in 1932. Her contributions to her family and her husband's success in science are a reminder of the important role that supportive partners play in the lives of successful individuals.

Charles Glover Barkla had three children with his wife Mary Esther Cowell.

John Martin Barkla

Alice Mary Barkla

Edith Sybil Barkla

John Martin Barkla, was the eldest child of Charles Glover Barkla and Mary Esther Cowell. He was born on February 27, 1909, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where his father was a professor of physics at the University of Edinburgh at the time.

John Martin Barkla went on to have a successful career as a physician, specializing in gastroenterology. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Liverpool in 1934, where his father had taught physics. He then served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II, and was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery and service.

After the war, John Martin Barkla worked as a physician at several hospitals in Liverpool, and was also involved in medical research. He was a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and published several papers on gastroenterology.

John Martin Barkla was married to Kathleen Waddell, and they had four children together. He died on June 29, 1993, at the age of 84.

Alice Mary Barkla, was the second child and only daughter of Charles Glover Barkla and Mary Esther Cowell. She was born on June 28, 1910, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where her father was a professor of physics at the University of Edinburgh at the time.

Alice Mary Barkla went on to have a successful career as a mathematician and statistician. She obtained her degree in mathematics from the University of Oxford in 1932, and then worked as a statistician for the British Civil Service for several years. During World War II, she worked for the Ministry of Supply, analyzing data related to the production of aircraft.

After the war, Alice Mary Barkla worked at the Royal Statistical Society, where she became an expert in the analysis of survey data. She published several papers on statistical methods and data analysis, and was known for her contributions to the field of social statistics.

Alice Mary Barkla never married, and died on January 26, 2004, at the age of 93. She is remembered for her pioneering work in statistics, and for her dedication to promoting the use of statistical methods in social research.

Edith Sybil Barkla, was the third child of Charles Glover Barkla and Mary Esther Cowell. She was born on May 25, 1912, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where her father was a professor of physics at the University of Edinburgh at the time.

Edith Sybil Barkla went on to have a successful career as a physiologist. She obtained her degree in physiology from the University of Oxford in 1933, and then worked as a researcher at the National Institute for Medical Research in London. During World War II, she worked on developing treatments for mustard gas exposure.

After the war, Edith Sybil Barkla continued her research in physiology, with a particular focus on the study of the nervous system. She was known for her contributions to our understanding of the mechanisms of nerve conduction, and for her development of new methods for studying the properties of nerve fibers.

Edith Sybil Barkla never married, and died on November 14, 1964, at the age of 52. She is remembered for her pioneering work in physiology, and for her dedication to advancing our understanding of the nervous system.

Charles Barkla Death

Charles Glover Barkla died on October 23, 1944, at the age of 67 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The cause of his death was heart failure, which he had been suffering from for some time.

Barkla's contributions to science, particularly in the field of X-ray spectroscopy, earned him widespread recognition during his lifetime. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1917 for his discovery of the characteristic X-ray radiation of elements, which was a major step towards the development of the field of X-ray crystallography.

Today, Barkla's work continues to influence the study of X-ray spectroscopy and related fields. He is remembered as one of the pioneers of modern physics, and as a scientist whose contributions continue to shape our understanding of the physical world.

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