William Francis Giauque (/dʒiˈoʊk/;[1] May 12, 1895 – March 28, 1982) was a Canadian-born American chemist andNobel laureate. He was recognized in 1949, for his studies in the properties ofmatter, at temperatures close toabsolute zero. He spent virtually all of his educational and professional career at the University of California, Berkeley.
His father (William Tecumseh Giauque) was an American citizen, and so William Francis Giauque was conferred American citizenship, despite being born in Canada,[2][3]
In 1926, he proposed a method for observing temperatures considerably below 1 Kelvin (1 K is −457.87 °F or −272.15 °C). He developed amagnetic refrigeration device of his own design in order to achieve this outcome, getting closer to absolute zero than many scientists had thought possible. This trailblazing work, apart from proving one of the fundamental laws of nature led to stronger steel, better gasoline and more efficient processes in a range of industries.
Shampo, Marc A; Kyle, Robert A; Steensma, David P (2006). "Stamp vignette on medical science. William F. Giauque—Nobel Prize for low-temperature research".Mayo Clin. Proc. Vol. 81, no. 5 (published May 2006). p. 587.doi:10.4065/81.5.587.PMID16706253.
William Giauque on Nobelprize.org including the Nobel Lecture on December 12, 1949Some Consequences of Low Temperature Research in Chemical Thermodynamics
