Walther Hermann Nernst ForMemRS (German pronunciation: [ˈvaltɐ ˈnɛʁnst] ; 25 June 1864 – 18 November 1941) was a German physical chemist known for his work in thermodynamics, physical chemistry, electrochemistry, and solid-state physics. His formulation of the Nernst heat theorem helped pave the way for the third law of thermodynamics, for which he won the 1920 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He is also known for developing the Nernst equation in 1887.
He studied physics and mathematics at the universities of Zürich, Berlin, Graz and Würzburg, where he received his doctorate 1887.[3] In 1889, he finished his habilitation at University of Leipzig.
- ^ Cherwell; Simon, F. (1942). "Walther Nernst. 1864-1941". Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society. 4 (11): 101. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1942.0010. S2CID 123003922.
- ^ "The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1920".
- ^ Mendelssohn, K. (1973). The World of Walther Nernst. University of Pittsburgh Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8229-1109-8.