Nernst, Walther

Name:
Nernst, Walther
Detailed information:
(1864–1941). A German chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1920. He was educated at Zurich and Berlin and received his Ph.D. at Wurzburg. He wrote many works concerning theory of electric potential and conduction of electrolytic solutions. He developed the third law of thermodynamics, which states that at absolute zero the entropy of every material in perfect equilibrium is zero, and therefore volume, pressure, and surface tension all become independent of temperature. He also invented Nernst's lamp, which required no vacuum and little current.