Gilbert Newton Lewis

Date of Birth: October 23, 1875

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: March 23, 1946

Biography

Gilbert Newton Lewis was a distinguished American physical chemist known for his groundbreaking work in chemical thermodynamics and the theory of chemical bonding. Born on October 23, 1875, in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Lewis made significant contributions to the field of chemistry, including the discovery of the covalent bond and the concept of electron pairs. He introduced the Lewis dot structure, a simplified way of representing the electron configuration of atoms and molecules, which has become a fundamental tool in chemistry education and research. Lewis earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1899, after which he spent a year in Germany studying under renowned chemists. He held various academic positions, including a long and illustrious tenure at the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as the Dean of the College of Chemistry. Throughout his career, Lewis published numerous influential papers and mentored many students who themselves became prominent scientists. Tragically, Gilbert Newton Lewis passed away on March 23, 1946, under mysterious circumstances in his laboratory at Berkeley. Despite his untimely death, his legacy continues through the countless contributions he made to the field of chemistry.

5 Interesting Facts about Gilbert Newton Lewis

1. Gilbert Newton Lewis was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 41 times but never won.

2. He coined the term “photon” to describe the smallest unit of light energy.

3. Lewis developed the concept of acids and bases that is still in use today, known as Lewis acids and bases.

4. He proposed the idea of “fugacity,” a thermodynamic property that helps describe the behavior of gases.

5. Lewis was a pioneer in the field of isotope separation, contributing to the Manhattan Project during World War II.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Gilbert Newton Lewis

1. “We must not only be rational but also must be able to use our rationality in solving the problems of the world.”

2. “Chemistry is the science of molecules and their transformations.”

3. “The most important factors in a chemical reaction are those which ordinary observation overlooks.”

4. “In science, we must be interested in things, not in persons.”

5. “The study of chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

There is no clear historical record of Gilbert Newton Lewis’s net worth. As a prominent academic and scientist, his financial wealth was likely modest, with his true legacy being his substantial contributions to science.

Children

Gilbert Newton Lewis had three children: two sons, Richard and Edward, and one daughter, Margery. His family life was private, and not much is publicly known about his children’s lives and careers.