-
Werner Heisenberg's early years.
Werner Heisenberg was born in Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany on 5th December, 1901. His was father was a teacher of classical languages. In his late teens he read Platos "Timaeus" and was raised Lutheran. He recalled growing up that his mind was molded by philosophy and reading Plato. -
Period: to
Werner Heisenberg's formal education.
At the age of 19, Heisenberg attended Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich where he studied Physics and Mathematics and received his doctorate in 1923 and in 1924 completed his habilitation. He also completed his doctoral thesis on turbulence and the nature of laminar flow and turbulent flow. -
Period: to
Heisenberg's academic career.
Heisenberg taught at Georg-August University of Göttingen from 1924-27. While he was there, he went to do research at the University of Copenhagen where he wrote "Quantum theoretical re-interpretation of kinematic and mechanical relations". Upon returning to Georg-August University, he helped to develop the matrix mechanics formulation. It was during these years he wrote his "Uncertainty Principle". -
Period: to
Further research and Nobel Prize
During the years of 1928-32, Heisenberg produced further research and studies in quantum mechanics involving spectral frequencies, such as the Fourier transform, anharmonic oscillator, and simple harmonic oscillator. In 1933, Heisenberg was nominated and given the Nobel Prize for the creation of quantum mechanics and the discovery of "allotropic forms of hydrogen". -
Fathers of Physics
-
Period: to
Uranverien and SS investigation.
In 1936 the Nazi Party attacked Heisenberg for his papers concerning "Cosmic-ray showers". During these years he met his wife through his interest in classical music and his piano practice. In 1943, Heisenberg was appointed to the Chair of Theoretical Physics at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität. -
Hiroshima Bomb
Under Operation Alsos, Heisenberg was captured and incarcerated in England at Farm Hall. The initial reaction of Heisenberg along with other well- known German scientist of the Hiroshima bomb was complete unbelief. However, it wasn't until media reports that they learned that the bomb was indeed dropped on Hiroshima. -
Period: to
Other Research
During 1947, Heisenberg lectured at Cambridge University and attributed work towards the concept of superconductivity. In 1957, Heisenberg was a signatory of the Göttinger Manifest that took a stand against the new Germany arming itself with nuclear weapons. After 1957, Heisenberg became interested in plasma physics and nuclear fusion and was a member of the International Institute of Atomic Physics in Geneva. -
Later interviews about Quantum Mechanics.
-
Later years and death.
Heisenberg was a Christian who enjoyed learning about Eastern Philosophy and applied that to quantum physics. In 1974, he was awarded the Romano Guardini Award. Heisenberg published his own autobiography which was released in 1969 and then translated in 1971 as, " Physics and Beyond: Encounters and Conversations". Heisenberg died of kidney disease 2nd February, 1976.
