Urey , Harold Clayton

Urey , Harold Clayton
(1893–1981) American physical chemist
Urey, born the son of a teacher and lay minister in Walkerton, Indiana, was educated at the universities of Montana, where he studied zoology, and California, where he obtained a PhD in chemistry (1923). After a year at the Institute of Theoretical Physics in Copenhagen, he began his teaching career at Johns Hopkins in 1924. In 1929 he moved to Columbia University, remaining there until 1958 when he became a professor at the University of California.
He is best known as the discoverer of deuterium – the isotope of hydrogen containing one proton and one neutron in its nucleus. This followed the accurate measurement of the atomic weights of hydrogen and oxygen by Francis W. Aston and the discovery of oxygen isotopes by William Giauque.
To obtain deuterium Urey used the fact that it would evaporate at a slightly slower rate than normal hydrogen. He took some four liters of liquid hydrogen, which he distilled down to a volume of one cubic centimeter. The presence of deuterium was then proved spectroscopically. Urey went on to investigate differences in chemical-reaction rate between isotopes. During World War II he was in charge of the separation of isotopes in the atomic-bomb project. Urey's research also led to a large-scale method of obtaining deuterium oxide (heavy water) for use as a neutron moderator in reactors.
His interest in isotope effects in chemical reactions gave him the idea for a method of measuring temperatures in the oceans in the past. It depended on the fact that the calcium carbonate in shells contains slightly more oxygen–18 than oxygen–16, and the ratio depends on the temperature at which the shell formed.
For his discovery of heavy hydrogen Urey received the 1939 Nobel Prize for chemistry.

Scientists. . 2011.

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  • Urey,Harold Clayton — U·rey (yo͝orʹē), Harold Clayton. 1893 1981. American chemist. He won a 1934 Nobel Prize for his discovery of heavy hydrogen. * * * …   Universalium

  • Urey, Harold Clayton — ► (1893 1981) Químico estadounidense. En 1932 descubrió el agua pesada y el deuterio. Fue premio Nobel de Química en 1934, como reconocimiento a sus investigaciones …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Harold Clayton Urey — (* 29. April 1893 in Walkerton im US Bundesstaat Indiana; † 5. Januar 1981 in La Jolla, Kalifornien) war ein amerikanischer Chemiker. Leben und Werk Urey war ab 1929 Profe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Harold Clayton Urey — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Harold Clayton Urey (homonymie). Portrait de Harold Clayton Urey Harold Clayton Urey (29 avril 1893 à Walkerton, Indiana, États Unis 5 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Harold clayton urey (homonymie) — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Harold Clayton Urey (1893 1981) est un chimiste américain lauréat du Prix Nobel de chimie en 1934. Le prix Harold Clayton Urey est un prix décerné par la… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Harold Clayton Urey — Harold Urey, sobre 1963. Harold Clayton Urey (n. Walkerton, Indiana, 29 de abril de 1893 † La Jolla, California, 5 de enero de 1981) fue un químico y profesor universitario estadounidense, pionero en trabajar con isótopos con lo que ganó el… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Harold Clayton Urey — (n. Walkerton, Indiana, 29 de abril de 1893 † La Jolla, California, 5 de enero de 1981). Químico estadounidense. Estudió en la Universidad de Montana, donde se graduó en 1917, entrando a trabajar en la compañía química Barrett de Filadelfia,… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Urey, Harold C. — ▪ American chemist Introduction in full  Harold Clayton Urey  born April 29, 1893, Walkerton, Ind., U.S. died Jan. 5, 1981, La Jolla, Calif.       American scientist awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1934 for his discovery of the heavy… …   Universalium

  • Harold Clayton Urey (prix) — Prix Harold Clayton Urey Pour les articles homonymes, voir Harold Clayton Urey (homonymie). Le prix Harold Clayton Urey est décerné tous les ans par la division de planétologie de la Société américaine d astronomie. Le prix récompense des… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Harold clayton urey (prix) — Prix Harold Clayton Urey Pour les articles homonymes, voir Harold Clayton Urey (homonymie). Le prix Harold Clayton Urey est décerné tous les ans par la division de planétologie de la Société américaine d astronomie. Le prix récompense des… …   Wikipédia en Français

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