Chemistry: 1904

Ramsay, Sir William pronounced RAM zee, (1852-1916), was a Scottish chemist who, with English physicist Lord Rayleigh, isolated the rare atmospheric gas, argon. Ramsay also discovered helium, neon, krypton, and xenon gases. The five gases are called noble gases because they do not readily react with other elements. For this work, Ramsay received the 1904 Nobel Prize for chemistry. His explanation of the nature of these elements led to important ideas about atomic structure. Each of these elements has a separate article in World Book.

Ramsay was born in Glasgow. He taught at Glasgow and Bristol, and at University College in London. He was knighted in 1902, and in 1911, he became president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Contributor: Bruce R. Wheaton, Ph.D., Director, Inventory of Sources for History of Twentieth-Century Physics.

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