The resulting Nicol prism could then be used to measure the angle of polarization of compounds, which later resulted in a profound understanding of many aspects of chemistry.
William Nicol (1768-1851) had the ingenious idea of cementing two crystals of Iceland spar together with Canada balsam so that each ray was separated at right angles. The explanation required the genius of Thomas Young (1773-1829) to account for them some 150 years later: the two rays were polarized at right angles to each other. Today, these are still called the ordinary and extraordinary rays. He correctly deduced that light traveling through the crystal was refracted at two different angles. Bradford Washburn, who knew Land at Harvard, was asked why Din did not finish his physics studies he replied, ‘He didn’t need to.’Įdwin Land is survived by his wife, Helen (née Maislen) and two daughters, Jennifer and Valerie.Įrasmus Bartholin (1625-1698) was sent, in 1669, a transparent crystal from Iceland (Iceland spar) and, by rotating the crystal, he discovered that objects seen through it appeared double. His close friends, however, called him Din, his childhood nickname. Land, as he had some 20 honorary doctorates from other universities.
Harvard University finally awarded an honorary doctorate to him in 1957. He left the freshman physics class of 1926 and intensified his education at the New York Public Library, as had Thomas A. Land attended Harvard College and, while still a freshman, set out to find a new way of producing an inexpensive and efficient polarizer which he called Polaroid. Did Robert Wood inspire Edwin Land as a child? Wood was an experimenter of great ingenuity in the areas of optics, light, electricity and photography. Land would have had the first or the second edition. After studying at Harvard and Berlin, Wood taught physics at Wisconsin from 1897 until 1901, when he was appointed Professor of Experimental Physics at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, where most of his notable work was done. Robert Williams Wood (1868-1955) was born in Concord, Massachusetts. Wood’s Physical Optics (1st edn 1905, 2nd edn 1911, 3rd edn 1934) under his pillow.
WHO INVENTOR EDWIN LAND FREE
He graduated with honours from the Norwich Free Academy.Īs a young lad, he was interested in literature and science and slept with a copy of R.W. His yearbook photograph comes with the caption ‘Ed is some star in his studies and we are sure that he will make a name for himself and Alma Mater in college’. Edwin’s schooling was at Norwich Free Academy. His father was a landowner and prosperous scrap-metal dealer. Land was born to Harry and Martha Land in Bridgeport, Connecticut. While not an official biography, the following is reprinted with the kind permission of the Royal Society.Įdwin H. Novel equipment, using these colour systems, has also been widely exploited, including versions where the colour photograph develops in daylight. All of this required a team of first-class scientists and technicians that he led with great success. He mastered the complex physicochemical science that gave neutral or coloured, continuous-tone, instantaneous photographs. In the field of photography, Land developed the cameras and associated special films that produce almost instantaneous dry pictures directly from the camera. The trade name ‘Polaroid’ has become the accepted generic name for these sheets. Such devices are widely used today in liquid crystal displays (LCD), in sunglasses and in scientific and medical research. In the field of polarized light, he was responsible for the invention, development and efficient commercial production of the first sheet polarizers, for a sequence of subsequent polarizers, and for the theory and practice of many applications of polarized light. Land’s achievements spanned the disciplines of art, science, technology and commerce. He has had few peers in the advancement and application of natural science to everyday life. He mastered the art of giving the people what they wanted at a price they could afford. The Polaroid Corporation, which Land founded, may continue to do so for many more. He has had an impact on the lives of many millions of people and has provided large-scale employment in many countries for over five decades. Land was distinguished for his inventions and contributions in the fields of polarized light, photography and color vision. Land. Photo copyright J.J.Scarpetti.Įdwin H.
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