Otto Hahn was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1879. Hahn quickly took an interest in chemistry in his early years. By 1897 at age 18, Hahn was attending the University of Marburg studying chemistry. After taking his doctorate exam at only age 22 in 1901 and then working as an assistant at the University of Marburg, Hahn moved on from organic chemistry into the field of studying radiochemistry and radioactivity in London with Sir William Ramsay, the British chemist most known for discovering the noble gases.
At the University College of London in 1904, Hahn made his first big discovery and contribution by discovering radiothorium, a radioactive isotope of thorium. In late 1905, Hahn moved to the Physical Institute of McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Here he worked with Ernest Rutherford, famous father of nuclear chemistry and many other chemistry achievements. Hahn during this time under Rutherford discovered a radioactive isotope of actinium, and investigated its and radiothroium’s alpha-rays (“Otto Hahn Biographical”, Nobel Peace Prize Organization). After two years in Montreal, Hahn moved back to Germany, this time heading to Berlin’s Chemical Institute where he taught as a professor of …show more content…
The process of splitting an atom opened the door to numerous studies and applications, most notably the atomic bomb. Hahn’s work became the direct foundation for the Manhattan Project and the atomic bomb (Public Broadcasting Service, 1998). Hahn opposed the use of his work to be used in atomic weapons research, and refused to work in the German government’s program to develop such a weapon. In the United States however, Hahn’s research became the basis for the Manhattan Project thanks to Niels Bohr reporting the findings of nuclear fission to the US in 1939. Using Hahn’s discoveries, the United States was able to successfully build an atomic
At the University College of London in 1904, Hahn made his first big discovery and contribution by discovering radiothorium, a radioactive isotope of thorium. In late 1905, Hahn moved to the Physical Institute of McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Here he worked with Ernest Rutherford, famous father of nuclear chemistry and many other chemistry achievements. Hahn during this time under Rutherford discovered a radioactive isotope of actinium, and investigated its and radiothroium’s alpha-rays (“Otto Hahn Biographical”, Nobel Peace Prize Organization). After two years in Montreal, Hahn moved back to Germany, this time heading to Berlin’s Chemical Institute where he taught as a professor of …show more content…
The process of splitting an atom opened the door to numerous studies and applications, most notably the atomic bomb. Hahn’s work became the direct foundation for the Manhattan Project and the atomic bomb (Public Broadcasting Service, 1998). Hahn opposed the use of his work to be used in atomic weapons research, and refused to work in the German government’s program to develop such a weapon. In the United States however, Hahn’s research became the basis for the Manhattan Project thanks to Niels Bohr reporting the findings of nuclear fission to the US in 1939. Using Hahn’s discoveries, the United States was able to successfully build an atomic