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astronomy

William Draper Harkins

William Draper Harkins is a astronomy 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 William Draper Harkins rather than just read about it. In short: William Draper Harkins (December 28, 1873 – March 7, 1951) was an American physical chemist, noted for his contributions to surface chemistry and nuclear chemistry. He is also recognized now as one of the first environmental chemists.

William Draper Harkins — main illustration
William Draper Harkins — illustration

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

William Draper Harkins (December 28, 1873 – March 7, 1951) was an American physical chemist, noted for his contributions to surface chemistry and nuclear chemistry. He is also recognized now as one of the first environmental chemists. Harkins and his student E.D. Wilson made careful analysis of the atomic nucleus demonstrating difference between chemical and atomic species now called isotopes. As part of this work Harkin was the first to analyze the abundance of elements in meteors as a indication of composition of the Early Solar System. As a visiting professor with Fritz Haber in 1909, he was introduced to the study of surface tension, and he began work on the theory of solutions and solubility during a visit to MIT in 1909-1910. Harkins was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania, and graduated with a PhD from Stanford University in 1907 under Robert E. Swain. He subsequently taught chemistry at the University of Montana from 1900 to 1912, and then spent the rest of his career at the University of Chicago.

Harkins correctly predicted the existence of the neutron in 1920 (as a proton–electron complex) and was the first to use the word neutron in connection with the atomic nucleus. The neutron was detected experimentally by James Chadwick in 1932. In the beginning of the 1930s, Harkins constructed the second ever cyclotron with fellow University of Chicago scientist Robert James Moon, improving greatly on the design of the previous one. Among other University of Chicago scientists who made use of this cyclotron was Enrico Fermi, who performed neutron transport experiments. Since 1978, the magnet yoke of the cyclotron Harkins built has been on display at Fermilab. Harkins was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1921 and the American Philosophical Society in 1925. Among his students were Robert Mulliken, Lyle Benjamin Borst, Calvin Souther Fuller, Martin Kamen, Henry W. Newson, Samuel Allison, and Robert James Moon. Harkins died in Chicago. He is buried at Oak Woods Cemetery.

References

External links William Draper Harkins Academic Genealogy and List of PhD Students Guide to the William D. Harkins Papers 1877-1988 at the University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center

Illustrations

William Draper Harkins illustration
William Draper Harkins: The magnet yoke from the cyclotron built in 1935 by Professor William D. Harkins and colleagues at the University of Chicago was moved in 1978 to Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Batavia, Illinois, where it is on display. Photo: William S. Higgins
The magnet yoke from the cyclotron built in 1935 by Professor William D. Harkins and colleagues at the University of Chicago was moved in 1978 to Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Batavia, Illinois, where it is on display. Photo: William S. Higgins

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with William Draper Harkins

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what William Draper Harkins claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, 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 William Draper Harkins 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 William Draper Harkins 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 William Draper Harkins

In research
William Draper Harkins appears in astronomy 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 William Draper Harkins 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
William Draper Harkins is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1873 births, 1951 deaths, American chemists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for William Draper Harkins 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 William Draper Harkins in 20 minutes

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

Frequently asked questions

What is William Draper Harkins in simple terms?

William Draper Harkins (December 28, 1873 – March 7, 1951) was an American physical chemist, noted for his contributions to surface chemistry and nuclear chemistry. He is also recognized now as one of the first environmental chemists.

Why does William Draper Harkins matter?

Because it connects several astronomy 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 William Draper Harkins?

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 William Draper Harkins.

Tags

  • 1873 births
  • 1951 deaths
  • American chemists
  • Members of the American Philosophical Society
  • People from Titusville, Pennsylvania
  • People involved with the periodic table
  • Stanford University alumni
  • University of Chicago faculty
  • University of Montana faculty

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