Onnes, Heike Kamerlingh
Published: August 18, 2006, 6:33 pm
Updated: August 18, 2006, 6:33 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Peter Saundry
Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853-1926), a Dutch physicist who discovered superconductivity in 1911, a phenomenon occurring in certain materials at low temperatures, characterized by the complete absence of electrical resistance and the damping of the interior magnetic field. Onnes cooled mercury in his laboratory to 452 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (F); this is close to the temperature of "absolute zero" (-459° F) at which the motion of all individual atoms stops. Subsequent applications of superconducting materials include high-speed magnetic-levitation trains, magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) equipment, ultra-high-speed computer chips, high-capacity digital memory chips, energy storage systems, and gyroscopes for earth-orbiting satellites. Onnes was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1913 for his discovery of superconductivity.
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Citation
Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Onnes, Heike Kamerlingh". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 18, 2006; Last revised Date August 18, 2006; Retrieved May 20, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Onnes,_Heike_Kamerlingh>
The Author
Cutler J. Cleveland is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)
Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853-1926), a Dutch physicist who discovered superconductivity in 1911, a phenomenon occurring in certain materials at low temperatures, characterized by the complete absence of electrical resistance and the damping of the interior magnetic field. Onnes cooled mercury in his laboratory to 452 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (F); this is close to the temperature of "absolute zero" (-459° F) at which the motion of all individual atoms stops. Subsequent applications of superconducting materials include high-speed magnetic-levitation trains, magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) equipment, ultra-high-speed computer chips, high-capacity digital memory chips, energy storage systems, and gyroscopes for earth-orbiting satellites. Onnes was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1913 for his discovery of superconductivity.
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