physics

John H. Hubbell

John H. Hubbell is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand John H. Hubbell rather than just read about it. In short: John Howard Hubbell (1925 – March 31, 2007) was an American radiation physicist born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was on the staff of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (formerly National Bureau of Standards) from 1950 until 1988, when he retired.

Key takeaways

John H. Hubbell belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect John H. Hubbell to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of John H. Hubbell from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

John Howard Hubbell (1925 – March 31, 2007) was an American radiation physicist born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was on the staff of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (formerly National Bureau of Standards) from 1950 until 1988, when he retired. He remained a contractor to NIST until he died in 2007. He was a founder and past president of the International Radiation Physics Society. He earned a BSE in engineering physics in 1949 and an MS in physics in 1950 from the University of Michigan. He was the author or co-author of over one hundred publications including the "Radiation Physics" article in the 2002 Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology. He was the past editor of Applied Radiation and Isotopes and consulting editor of Radiation Physics and Chemistry. In the scientific community, Mr. Hubbell is known for his evaluations, computations and compilations of photon cross sections and attenuation (and energy-absorption) coefficients used in medicine, engineering and other disciplines. He is also known for his computationally tractable solutions of problems associated with the predictions of radiation fields.

Awards and honors Faculty Medal, Czech Technical University, 1982 Radiation Industry Award, American Nuclear Society, 1985 Honorary Academician of the International Higher Education Academy of Sciences (Moscow) 1994 Outstanding Alumnus Award, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, University of Michigan, 1995 Doctor honoris causa, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 1996 Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society, 2002.

Publications Hubbell, J.H. (1969). Photon cross sections, attenuation coefficients, and energy absorption coefficients from 10 keV to 100 GeV. Washington: U.S. National Bureau of Standards. LCCN 73600412. Hubbell, J.H.; L. V. Spencer (1964). Shielding against gamma rays, neutrons, and electrons from nuclear weapons: a review and bibliography. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards. LCCN 63060082.

Notes

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with John H. Hubbell

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what John H. Hubbell claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to John H. Hubbell before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about John H. Hubbell ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of John H. Hubbell

In research: John H. Hubbell appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses John H. Hubbell in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: John H. Hubbell is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1925 births, 2007 deaths, 20th-century American physicists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for John H. Hubbell outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study John H. Hubbell in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what John H. Hubbell means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain John H. Hubbell out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is John H. Hubbell in simple terms?

Why does John H. Hubbell matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study John H. Hubbell?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on John H. Hubbell.