Scientist. Dr. Johann Balmer was a Swiss mathematician, who performed pioneer research in the field of nuclear science long before there was a Nobel Prize for such achievements. In 1885 his “Balmer Series,” a set of six named series describing the spectral line emissions of the hydrogen atom was the basic formula to the development of the atomic theory and the field of atomic spectroscopy. Like with many researcher's finds, it would be years later in the 1900s before the importance of such a find was really known. Although he was a mathematician, his find was in physics, yet he wrote the mathematical formula. Balmer's famous formula is = hm2/(m2 - n2) . At the age of 60 years old, he wrote his first paper on his research, and a second paper would follow when he was 72. Born the oldest child, his father Johnn Jakob Balmer was a Chief Justice. He started school in Basel-Landscraft excelling in mathematics. He attended the University of Karlsruche and the University of Berlin in Germany, receiving his doctorate from the University of Basel in 1849. From 1859 until his death, he was a secondary-school teacher in a girl's school in his hometown along with a geometry lecturer from 1865 to 1890 at the University of Basel. When he was 43 years old, he married Christine Pauline Rinck and they had six children. Basing other scientific research on his earlier finds, other scientist continued with nuclear research such as Johannes Rydberg.
Scientist. Dr. Johann Balmer was a Swiss mathematician, who performed pioneer research in the field of nuclear science long before there was a Nobel Prize for such achievements. In 1885 his “Balmer Series,” a set of six named series describing the spectral line emissions of the hydrogen atom was the basic formula to the development of the atomic theory and the field of atomic spectroscopy. Like with many researcher's finds, it would be years later in the 1900s before the importance of such a find was really known. Although he was a mathematician, his find was in physics, yet he wrote the mathematical formula. Balmer's famous formula is = hm2/(m2 - n2) . At the age of 60 years old, he wrote his first paper on his research, and a second paper would follow when he was 72. Born the oldest child, his father Johnn Jakob Balmer was a Chief Justice. He started school in Basel-Landscraft excelling in mathematics. He attended the University of Karlsruche and the University of Berlin in Germany, receiving his doctorate from the University of Basel in 1849. From 1859 until his death, he was a secondary-school teacher in a girl's school in his hometown along with a geometry lecturer from 1865 to 1890 at the University of Basel. When he was 43 years old, he married Christine Pauline Rinck and they had six children. Basing other scientific research on his earlier finds, other scientist continued with nuclear research such as Johannes Rydberg.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Family Members
Advertisement
