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Physicist,Scientist (18791955)

Albert Einstein was a German-born physicist who developed thetheory of relativity. He is considered the most influential physicistof the 20th century.

SynopsisBorninUlm,Wrttemberg,Germanyin1879,AlbertEinsteindevelopedthespecialandgeneraltheoriesofrelativity.In1921,hewontheNobelPrizeforphysicsforhisexplanationofthephotoelectriceffect.Einsteinisgenerallyconsideredthemostinfluentialphysicistofthe20thcentury.HediedonApril18,1955,inPrinceton,NewJersey.

Early Life

BornonMarch14,1879inUlm,Wrttemberg,Germany,AlbertEinsteingrewupinasecular,middleclassJewishfamily.Hisfather,HermannEinstein,wasasalesmanandengineerwho,withhisbrother,foundedElektrotechnischeFabrikJ.Einstein&Cie,acompanythatmanufacturedelectricalequipmentinMunich,Germany.Hismother,theformerPaulineKoch,ranthefamilyhousehold.Einsteinhadonesister,Maja,borntwoyearsafterhim.

EinsteinattendedelementaryschoolattheLuitpoldGymnasiuminMunich.Heenjoyedclassicalmusicandplayedtheviolin.However,hefeltalienatedandstruggledwiththerigidPrussianeducationhereceivedthere.Healsoexperiencedaspeechdifficulty,aslowcadenceinhisspeakingwherehedpausetoconsiderwhattosaynext.Inlateryears,Einsteinwouldwriteabouttwoeventsthathadamarkedeffectonhischildhood.Onewasanencounterwithacompassatagefive,wherehemarveledattheinvisibleforcesthatturnedtheneedle.Theotherwasatage12,whenhediscoveredabookofgeometrywhichhereadoverandover.

In1889,theEinsteinfamilyinvitedapoorPolishmedicalstudent,MaxTalmudtocometotheirhouseforThursdayeveningmeals.TalmudbecameaninformaltutortoyoungAlbert,introducinghimtohighermathematicsandphilosophy.OneofthebooksTalmudsharedwithAlbertwasachildrenssciencebookinwhichtheauthorimaginedridingalongsideelectricitythatwastravelinginsideatelegraphwire.Einsteinbegantowonderwhatalightbeamwouldlooklikeifyoucouldrunalongsideitatthesamespeed.Iflightwereawave,thenthelightbeamshouldappearstationary,likeafrozenwave.Yet,inreality,thelightbeamismoving.Thisparadoxledhimtowritehisfirst"scientificpaper"atage16,"TheInvestigationof

theStateofAetherinMagneticFields."Thisquestionoftherelativespeedtothestationaryobserverandtheobservermovingwiththelightwasaquestionthatwoulddominatehisthinkingforthenext10years.

AlbertEinstein

NAMEAlbertEinstein

OCCUPATIONPhysicist,Scientist

BIRTH DATEMarch14,1879

DEATH DATEApril18,1955

EDUCATIONLuitpoldGymnasium,

EidgenssischePolytechnischeSchule(Swiss

FederalPolytechnicSchool)

PLACE OF BIRTHUlm,Wrttemberg,

Germany

PLACE OF DEATHPrinceton,NewJersey

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In1894,HermannEinsteinscompanyfailedtogetanimportantcontracttoelectrifythecityofMunichandhewasforcedtomovehisfamilytoMilan,Italy.Albertwasleftatarelative'sboardinghouseinMunichtofinishhiseducationattheLuitpoldGymnasium.Facedwithmilitarydutywhenheturnedofage,Albertallegedlywithdrewfromschool,usingadoctorsnotetoexcusehimselfandclaimnervousexhaustion,makinghiswaytoMilantojoinhisparents.Hisparentssympathizedwithhisfeelings,butwereconcernedabouttheenormousproblemsthathewouldfaceasaschooldropoutanddraftdodgerwithnoemployableskills.

Fortunately,EinsteinwasabletoapplydirectlytotheEidgenssischePolytechnischeSchule(SwissFederalPolytechnicSchool)inZrich,Switzerland.Lackingtheequivalentofahighschooldiploma,hefailedmuchoftheentranceexambutgotexceptionalmarksinmathematicsandphysics.Becauseofthis,hewasadmittedtotheschoolprovidedhecompletehisformalschoolingfirst.HewenttoaspecialhighschoolrunbyJostWintelerinAarau,Switzerland,andgraduatedin1896atage17.HebecamelifelongfriendswiththeWintelerfamily,withwhomhehadbeenboarding,andfellinlovewithWintelers'daughter,Marie.Atthistime,EinsteinrenouncedhisGermancitizenshiptoavoidmilitaryserviceandenrolledattheZurichschool.

Marriage and FamilyEinsteinwouldrecallthathisyearsinZurichweresomeofthehappiestofhislife.Hemetmanystudentswhowouldbecomeloyalfriends,suchasMarcelGrossmann,amathematician,andMicheleBesso,withwhomheenjoyedlengthyconversationsaboutspaceandtime.Healsomethisfuturewife,MilevaMaric,afellowphysicsstudentfromSerbia.

AftergraduatingfromthePolytechnicInstitute,AlbertEinsteinfacedaseriesoflifecrisesoverthenextfewyears.Becausehelikedtostudyonhisown,hecutclassesandearnedtheanimosityofsomeofhisprofessors.Oneinparticular,HeinrichWeber,wrotealetterofrecommendationatEinsteinsrequestthatledtohimbeingturneddownforeveryacademicpositionthatheappliedtoaftergraduation.Meanwhile,Einstein'srelationshipwithMaricdeepened,buthisparentsvehementlyopposedtherelationshipcitingherSerbianbackgroundandEasternOrthodoxChristianreligion.EinsteindefiedhisparentsandcontinuedtoseeMaric.InJanuary,1902,thecouplehadadaughter,Lieserl,whoeitherdiedofsicknessorwasgivenupforadoptionthefactsareunknown.

Atthispoint,AlbertEinsteinprobablyreachedthelowestpointinhislife.HecouldnotmarryMaricandsupportafamilywithoutajob,andhisfather'sbusinesshadgonebankrupt.Desperateandunemployed,Einsteintooklowlyjobstutoringchildren,buthewasunabletoholdontoanyofthem.Aturningpointcamelaterin1902,whenthefatherofhislifelongfriend,MarcelGrossman,recommendedhimforapositionasaclerkintheSwisspatentofficeinBern,Switzerland.Aboutthistime,Einsteinsfatherbecameseriouslyillandjustbeforehedied,gavehisblessingforhimtomarry.Withasmallbutsteadyincome,EinsteinmarriedMariconJan.6,1903.InMay,1904theyhadtheirfirstson,HansAlbert.Theirsecondson,Eduard,werebornin1910.

Miracle Year

Atthepatentoffice,AlbertEinsteinevaluatedpatentapplicationsforelectromagneticdevices.Hequicklymasteredthejob,leavinghimtimetoponderonthetransmissionofelectricalsignalsandelectricalmechanicalsynchronization,aninteresthehadbeencultivatingforseveralyears.WhileatthepolytechnicschoolhehadstudiedScottishphysicistJamesMaxwell'selectromagnetictheorieswhichdescribethenatureoflight,anddiscoveredafactunknowntoMaxwellhimself,thatthespeedoflightremainedconstant.However,thisviolatedIsaacNewton'slawsofmotionbecausethereisnoabsolutevelocityinNewton'stheory.ThisinsightledEinsteintoformulatetheprincipleofrelativity.

In1905oftencalledEinstein's"miracleyear"hesubmittedapaperforhisdoctorateandhadfourpaperspublishedintheAnnalenderPhysik,oneofthebestknownphysicsjournals.Thefourpapersthephotoelectriceffect,Brownianmotion,specialrelativity,andtheequivalenceofmatterandenergywouldalterthecourseofmodernphysicsandbringhimtotheattentionoftheacademicworld.Inhispaperonmatterandenergy,EinsteindeducedthewellknownequationE=mc2,suggestingthattinyparticlesofmattercouldbeconvertedintohugeamountsofenergy,foreshadowingthedevelopmentofnuclearpower.TherehavebeenclaimsthatEinsteinandhiswife,Maric,collaboratedonhiscelebrated1905papers,buthistoriansofphysicswhohavestudiedtheissuefindnoevidencethatshemadeanysubstantivecontributions.Infact,inthepapers,EinsteinonlycreditshisconversationswithMicheleBessoindevelopingrelativity.

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Atfirst,Einstein's1905paperswereignoredbythephysicscommunity.ThisbegantochangewhenhereceivedtheattentionofMaxPlanck,perhapsthemostinfluentialphysicistofhisgenerationandfounderofquantumtheory.WithPlanckscomplimentarycommentsandhisexperimentsthatconfirmedhistheories,Einsteinwasinvitedtolectureatinternationalmeetingsandheroserapidlyintheacademicworld.Hewasofferedaseriesofpositionsatincreasinglyprestigiousinstitutions,includingtheUniversityofZrich,theUniversityofPrague,theSwissFederalInstituteofTechnology,andfinallytheUniversityofBerlin,whereheservedasdirectoroftheKaiserWilhelmInstituteforPhysicsfrom1913to1933.

Ashisfamespread,Einstein'smarriagefellapart.Hisconstanttravelandintensestudyofhiswork,theargumentsabouttheirchildrenandthefamilysmeagerfinancesledEinsteintotheconclusionthathismarriagewasover.Einsteinbegananaffairwithacousin,ElsaLwenthal,whomhelatermarried.HefinallydivorcedMilevain1919andasasettlementagreedtogiveherthemoneyhemightreceiveifheeverwonaNobelPrize.

Theory of RelativityInNovember,1915,Einsteincompletedthegeneraltheoryofrelativity,whichheconsideredhismasterpiece.HewasconvincedthatgeneralrelativitywascorrectbecauseofitsmathematicalbeautyandbecauseitaccuratelypredictedtheperihelionofMercury'sorbitaroundthesun,whichfellshortinNewtonstheory.Generalrelativitytheoryalsopredictedameasurabledeflectionoflightaroundthesunwhenaplanetoranothersunoribitednearthesun.ThatpredictionwasconfirmedinobservationsbyBritishastronomerSirArthurEddingtonduringthesolareclipseof1919.In1921,AlbertEinsteinreceivedwordthathehadreceivedtheNobelPrizeforPhysics.Becauserelativitywasstillconsideredcontroversial,Einsteinreceivedtheawardforhisexplanationofthephotoelectriceffect.

Inthe1920s,Einsteinlaunchedthenewscienceofcosmology.Hisequationspredictedthattheuniverseisdynamic,everexpandingorcontracting.Thiscontradictedtheprevailingviewthattheuniversewasstatic,aviewthatEinsteinheldearlierandwasaguidingfactorinhisdevelopmentofthegeneraltheoryofrelativity.Buthislatercalculationsinthegeneraltheoryindicatedthattheuniversecouldbeexpandingorcontracting.In1929,astronomerEdwinHubblefoundthattheuniversewasindeedexpanding,therebyconfirmingEinstein'swork.In1930,duringavisittotheMountWilsonObservatorynearLosAngeles,EinsteinmetwithHubbleanddeclaredthecosmologicalconstant,hisoriginaltheoryofthestaticsizeandshapeoftheuniverse,tobehis"greatestblunder."

WhileEinsteinwastouringmuchoftheworldspeakingonhistheoriesinthe1920s,theNaziswererisingtopowerundertheleadershipofAdolphHitler.EinsteinstheoriesonrelativitybecameaconvenienttargetforNazipropaganda.In1931,theNazisenlistedotherphysiciststodenounceEinsteinandhistheoriesas"Jewishphysics."Atthistime,EinsteinlearnedthatthenewGermangovernment,nowinfullcontrolbytheNaziparty,hadpassedalawbarringJewsfromholdinganyofficialposition,includingteachingatuniversities.Einsteinalsolearnedthathisnamewasonalistofassassinationtargets,andaNaziorganizationpublishedamagazinewithEinstein'spictureandthecaption"NotYetHanged"onthecover.

Move to the United States

InDecember,1932,EinsteindecidedtoleaveGermanyforever.HetookapositionathenewlyformedInstituteforAdvancedStudyatPrinceton,NewJersey,whichsoonbecameaMeccaforphysicistsfromaroundtheworld.Itwasherethathewouldspendtherestofhiscareertryingtodevelopaunifiedfieldtheoryanallembracingtheorythatwouldunifytheforcesoftheuniverse,andtherebythelawsofphysics,intooneframeworkandrefutetheacceptedinterpretationofquantumphysics.OtherEuropeanscientistsalsofledvariouscountriesthreatenedbyNazitakeoverandcametotheUnitedStates.SomeofthesescientistsknewofNaziplanstodevelopanatomicweapon.Foratime,theirwarningstoWashington,D.C.wentunheeded.

Inthesummerof1939,Einstein,alongwithanotherscientist,LeoSzilard,waspersuadedtowritealettertoPresidentFranklinD.RoosevelttoalerthimofthepossibilityofaNazibomb.PresidentRooseveltcouldnotriskthepossibilitythatGermanymightdevelopanatomicbombfirst.TheletterisbelievedtobethekeyfactorthatmotivatedtheUnitedStatestoinvestigatethedevelopmentofnuclearweapons.RooseveltinvitedEinsteintomeetwithhimandsoonaftertheUnitedStatesinitiatedtheManhattanProject.

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NotlongafterhebeganhiscareerattheInstituteinNewJersey,AlbertEinsteinexpressedanappreciationforthe"meritocracy"oftheUnitedStatesandtherightpeoplehadtothinkwhattheypleasedsomethinghedidntenjoyasayoungmaninEurope.In1935,AlbertEinsteinwasgrantedpermanentresidencyintheUnitedStatesandbecameanAmericancitizenin1940.AstheManhattanProjectmovedfromdrawingboardtotestinganddevelopmentatLosAlamos,NewMexico,manyofhiscolleagueswereaskedtodevelopthefirstatomicbomb,butEinsteinwasnotoneofthem.AccordingtoseveralresearcherswhoexaminedFBIfilesovertheyears,thereasonwastheU.S.governmentdidn'ttrustEinstein'slifelongassociationwithpeaceandsocialistorganizations.FBIdirectorJ.EdgarHooverwentsofarastorecommendthatEinsteinbekeptoutofAmericabytheAlienExclusionAct,buthewasoverruledbytheU.S.StateDepartment.Instead,duringthewar,EinsteinhelpedtheU.S.Navyevaluatedesignsforfutureweaponssystemsandcontributedtothewareffortbyauctioningoffpricelesspersonalmanuscripts.Oneexamplewasahandwrittencopyofhis1905paperonspecialrelativitywhichsoldfor$6.5million,andisnowlocatedintheLibraryofCongress.

OnAugust6,1945,whileonvacation,EinsteinheardthenewsthatanatomicbombhadbeendroppedonHiroshima,Japan.Hesoonbecameinvolvedinaninternationalefforttotrytobringtheatomicbombundercontrol,andin1946,heformedtheEmergencyCommitteeofAtomicScientistswithphysicistLeoSzilard.In1947,inanarticlethathewroteforTheAtlanticMonthly,EinsteinarguedthattheUnitedStatesshouldnottrytomonopolizetheatomicbomb,butinsteadshouldsupplytheUnitedNationswithnuclearweaponsforthesolepurposeofmaintainingadeterrent.Atthistime,EinsteinalsobecameamemberoftheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeople.HecorrespondedwithcivilrightsactivistW.E.B.DuBoisandactivelycampaignedfortherightsofAfricanAmericans.

Afterthewar,Einsteincontinuedtoworkonmanykeyaspectsofthetheoryofgeneralrelativity,suchaswormholes,thepossibilityoftimetravel,theexistenceofblackholes,andthecreationoftheuniverse.However,hebecameincreasinglyisolatedfromtherestofthephysicscommunity.Withthehugedevelopmentsinunravelingthesecretsofatomsandmolecules,spurredonbythedevelopmenttotheatomicbomb,themajorityofscientistswereworkingonthequantumtheory,notrelativity.AnotherreasonforEinstein'sdetachmentfromhiscolleagueswashisobsessionwithdiscoveringhisunifiedfieldtheory.Inthe1930s,EinsteinengagedinaseriesofhistoricprivatedebateswithNielsBohr,theoriginatoroftheBohratomicmodel.Inaseriesof"thoughtexperiments,"Einsteintriedtofindlogicalinconsistenciesinthequantumtheory,butwasunsuccessful.However,inhislateryears,hestoppedopposingquantumtheoryandtriedtoincorporateit,alongwithlightandgravity,intothelargerunifiedfieldtheoryhewasdeveloping.

Inthelastdecadeofhislife,Einsteinwithdrewfrompubliclife,rarelytravelingfarandconfininghimselftolongwalksaroundPrincetonwithcloseassociates,whomheengagedindeepconversationsaboutpolitics,religion,physicsandhisunifiedfieldtheory.

Final YearsOnApril17,1955,whileworkingonaspeechhewaspreparingtocommemorateIsrael'sseventhanniversary,Einsteinsufferedanabdominalaorticaneurysmandexperiencedinternalbleeding.HewastakentotheUniversityMedicalCenteratPrincetonfortreatment,butrefusedsurgery,believingthathehadlivedhislifeandwascontenttoaccepthisfate."IwanttogowhenIwant,"hestatedatthetime."Itistastelesstoprolonglifeartificially.Ihavedonemyshare,itistimetogo.Iwilldoitelegantly."EinsteindiedattheuniversitymedicalcenterearlythenextmorningApril18,1955attheageof76.

Duringtheautopsy,ThomasStoltzHarveyremovedEinstein'sbrain,seeminglywithoutthepermissionofhisfamily,forpreservationandfuturestudybydoctorsofneuroscience.Hisremainswerecrematedandhisasheswerescatteredinanundisclosedlocation.Afterdecadesofstudy,Einstein'sbrainisnowlocatedatthePrincetonUniversityMedicalCenter.

APAStyleAlbertEinstein.(2015).TheBiography.comwebsite.Retrieved05:48,Jul03,2015,fromhttp://www.biography.com/people/alberteinstein9285408.HarvardStyleAlbertEinstein.[Internet].2015.TheBiography.comwebsite.Availablefrom:http://www.biography.com/people/alberteinstein9285408[Accessed03Jul2015].MLAStyle"AlbertEinstein."Bio.A&ETelevisionNetworks,2015.Web.03July2015.MHRAStyle"AlbertEinstein,"TheBiography.comwebsite,2015,http://www.biography.com/people/alberteinstein9285408

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[accessedJul032015].ChicagoStyle"AlbertEinstein,"TheBiography.comwebsite,http://www.biography.com/people/alberteinstein9285408(accessedJul032015).CBE/CSEStyleAlbertEinstein[Internet].TheBiography.comwebsite2015[cited2015Jul03]Availablefrom:http://www.biography.com/people/alberteinstein9285408.BluebookStyleAlbertEinstein,http://www.biography.com/people/alberteinstein9285408(lastvisitedJul032015).AMAStyleAlbertEinstein.TheBiography.comwebsite.2015.Availableat:http://www.biography.com/people/alberteinstein9285408.AccessedJul032015.