Percy Williams Bridgman, an American physicist and Nobel Prize winner, revolutionized the field of high-pressure physics with his innovative techniques. His groundbreaking work on the effects of pressure on solids, liquids, and gases led to the development of self-tightening joints, enabling scientists to conduct experiments at unprecedented pressures. Bridgman’s contributions extended beyond experimental design, as he was also the first to propose the theory of operationalism, which suggests that scientific concepts can be explained through a series of operations. With a keen imagination and analytical skills, Bridgman excelled in creating various scientific equipment. Throughout his career, he remained dedicated to his research, unaffected by societal demands or personal weaknesses. Notably, Bridgman played a crucial role in developing sound-detection systems for anti-submarine warfare during World War I and contributed to the Manhattan Project during World War II, focusing on the compressibility of uranium and plutonium.
Quick Facts
- Died At Age: 79
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Olive Ware
- Father: Raymond Landon Bridgman
- Mother: Mary ‘Maria’ Ann Williams
- Children: Jane Ware, Robert Ware
- Physicists
- American Men
- Died on: August 20, 1961
- Place of death: Randolph, New Hampshire, United States
- U.S. State: Massachusetts
- Cause of Death: Suicide
- More Facts
- Education: Harvard University
- Awards:
- Rumford Prize (1917)
- Elliott Cresson Medal (1932)
- Comstock Prize in Physics (1933)
- Nobel Prize in Physics (1946)
- Fellow of the Royal Society (1949)
- Bingham Medal (1951)
Childhood & Early Life
Percy Williams Bridgman was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 21, 1882. He was the only child of Raymond Landon Bridgman, a newspaper reporter, and Mary ‘Maria’ Ann Williams, an author. Despite his family’s religious background, Bridgman was more interested in studying science than joining the church. After his family moved to Newton, Massachusetts, he attended Newton North High School and graduated in 1900. He then went on to study at Harvard University, receiving his BA degree in physics and mathematics in 1904, his MA in physics in 1905, and his PhD in 1908. He worked as a research fellow at Harvard University from 1908 to 1910.
Career
Bridgman began his career as a lecturer of physics at Harvard University in 1910. He became an assistant professor in 1913 and a full professor in 1919. In 1926, he was appointed as the Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Harvard University. In 1927, he proposed the theory of operationalism, which aimed to clarify the ambiguities and obscurities in the definition of scientific ideas. He was also one of the signatories of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto. Bridgman served as the President of the American Physical Society in 1942. He taught physics at Harvard University until his retirement in 1954.
Major Works
Bridgman wrote several books, including “Dimensional Analysis,” “The Logic of Modern Physics,” “The Physics of High Pressure,” “The Thermodynamics of Electrical Phenomenon in Metals,” “The Nature of Physical Theory,” “The Intelligent Individual and Society,” and “The Nature of Thermodynamics.” He published his memoirs, “Reflections of a Physicist,” in 1950, and his collected experimental papers were published in seven volumes in 1964.
Awards & Achievements
Throughout his career, Bridgman received numerous awards and honors. He was awarded the Rumford Prize by the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1917 and was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences in 1918. He received the Elliott Cresson Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1932, the Comstock Prize from the National Academy of Sciences in 1933, the Hendrik Willem Bakhuis Roozeboom Medal from the Royal Academy of Sciences of the Netherlands in 1933, and the Research Corporation Award from the New York Award in 1937. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1946 and the Bingham Medal from the Society of Rheology in 1951. Bridgman also received honorary D.Sc. degrees from various institutions and was made a fellow of several scientific societies.
Personal Life & Legacy
Bridgman married Olive Ware in 1912 and had a daughter, Jane Ware, and a son, Robert Ware. Tragically, Bridgman committed suicide by shooting himself at his home in Randolph, New Hampshire, on August 20, 1961. He had been suffering from metastatic cancer for a long time, which led him to take his own life. The Percy W. Bridgman House in Massachusetts was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1975. The Percy Williams Bridgman Award was established in his memory by the International Association for the Advancement of High-Pressure Science and Technology in 1977. A lunar crater was named after him as Bridgman, and in 2014, the earth’s most abundantly available mineral was named Bridgmanite by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature, and Classification. Bridgman was known for his perfectionism and his love for music, chess, handball, mountain-climbing, photography, and gardening. He was highly respected and admired by his colleagues and the scientific community.