Knowra Max von Laue Max von Laue Max von Laue (1879–1960) was a German physicist whose 1912 discovery of X-ray diffraction by crystals established the wave nature of X-rays and earned him the 1914 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Walter Friedrich : A German physicist who, with Paul Knipping, carried out the first experimental demonstration of X-ray diffraction by crystals. He performed the decisive 1912 experiment under Laue’s guidance.
X-ray diffraction : The scattering of X-rays by matter, producing patterns that reveal periodic structure or atomic arrangements. Laue’s central discovery was that crystals diffract X-rays.
Crystal structure : The ordered arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in a crystalline solid. Diffraction patterns made crystal structure experimentally accessible.
University of Strasbourg : A university in Strasbourg, France, founded in 1538 and reorganized in its modern form in 1970. Laue studied physics there before pursuing research in Germany.
Compton scattering : The increase in wavelength observed when X-rays scatter from electrons, explained by treating photons as particles. It demonstrated X-rays’ particle behavior, complementing the wave behavior revealed by Laue diffraction.
Paul Knipping : A German physicist who helped produce the first X-ray diffraction photographs of a crystal in 1912. His experimental work with Friedrich tested Laue’s prediction.
Crystal lattice : A periodic arrangement of points representing the repeating structure of a crystal. Its regular spacing causes scattered X-rays to reinforce in particular directions.
DNA structure : The molecular architecture of deoxyribonucleic acid, including its double-helical form. X-ray diffraction, enabled by Laue’s discovery, supplied evidence central to identifying DNA’s structure.
University of Göttingen : A German research university founded in 1737, known for its influential mathematics and science communities. Laue studied at Göttingen, an important stage in his scientific education.
Photoelectric effect : The emission of electrons from a material when it absorbs light above a threshold frequency. Its explanation showed a particle aspect of light unlike Laue’s evidence for X-ray waves.
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