The fifth Solvay Conference on Physics in 1927 in Brussels has been called the greatest assemblage of brainpower in history. 17 of the 29 attendees were or became Nobel Prize winners. The conference helped shape the burgeoning field of quantum mechanics, and also formed the basis of how scientific inquiry is conducted.
Other Sporcle quizzes challenge you to identify the luminaries in attendance. This one goes a step further and asks you to match the attendee with their contribution to science.
Showed that potassium and rubidium are naturally radioactive
Developed the theory of phase transition
Studied surface tension
Correlated Newtonian chemical affinity with Gibbsian free energy
Formulated the wave equation and had an unusual relationship with cats, Nobel Prize in Physics 1933
Studied the thermodynamics of capillary phenomena
Defined the exclusion principle which stated that two identical fermions cannot occupy the same quantum state simultaneously, Nobel Prize in Physics 1945
Defined the uncertainty principle which stated that a particle's position and momentum can not be known simultaneously, Nobel Prize in Physics 1932
Formulated an explanation of field electron emission
Studied the propogation of radio waves in the atmosphere
Applied the concept of dipole moment to charge distribution in asymmetric molecules, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1936
Studied molecular gas flows and developed principles used in molecular beam epitaxy
Developed an eponymous law of X-ray diffraction for the determination of crystal structure, Nobel Prize in Physics 1915
Studied the interaction of electromagnetic waves and matter
Formulated an equation describing the behavoir of fermions, and predicted the existence of antimatter, Nobel Prize in Physics 1933
Discovered an effect that demonstrated the particle nature of electromagnetic radiation, Nobel Prize in Physics 1927
Proposed the wave nature of electrons, Nobel Prize in Physics 1929
Fundamental research in quantum mechanics and statistical interpretation of the wave function, Nobel Prize in Physics 1954
Developed a model of the atom in which electrons exist at discrete energy levels, Nobel Prize in Physics 1922
Studied surface chemistry and discovered electron density waves in plasmas, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1932
Originator of quantum mechanics, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1918
Studied radioactivity, discovered radium and polonium, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1903, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1911
Co-discoverer of the Zeeman effect of splitting a spectral line into its components in the presence of a magnetic field, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1902
Developed the theories of Special Relativity and General Relativity, not a fan of divine gambling, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1921
Developed a system to model the dynamics of molecular systems
Demonstrated the dependence of the electron mass on its speed
Invented the cloud chamber for detecting ionizing radiation, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1927
Studied thermionic emission and demonstrated that electric current in a heated wire depends exponentially on the temperature, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1928
In order to create a playlist on Sporcle, you need to verify the email address you used during registration. Go to your Sporcle Settings to finish the process.
