Erwin Schrödinger

Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger (12 August 1887 – 4 January 1961) was an Austrian–Irish theoretical physicist who made big discoveries in quantum theory. He is most famous for creating the Schrödinger equation, a key idea that helps scientists understand how tiny particles behave and change over time. He also came up with the term "quantum entanglement" in 1935.

Schrödinger shared the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics with Paul Dirac for their important work in atomic theory. Besides quantum theory, he wrote about many areas of science such as statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and even wrote a book called What Is Life? where he looked at living things using physics ideas.

People often remember Schrödinger for his famous thought experiment called "Schrödinger's cat", which helps explain some tricky ideas in quantum physics. He spent time working in different places, including Oxford, Graz, and later Dublin, where he stayed until he retired in 1955.

Early life and education

Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger was born on 12 August 1887 in Vienna. He was the only child of Rudolf Schrödinger, a botanist, and Georgine Emilia Brenda Bauer, whose father was a chemistry professor at TU Wien. Schrödinger grew up with strong interests in Eastern religions and pantheism, even though he was an atheist.

He went to the Akademisches Gymnasium and later studied at the University of Vienna. In 1910, he earned his Ph.D. there. After that, he worked as an assistant to Franz S. Exner and finished his habilitation in 1914.

Career

From 1914 to 1918, Erwin Schrödinger worked in Austria during the war. In 1920, he became an assistant at the University of Jena, and later a professor at several universities, including Zurich, Berlin, and Graz.

In 1939, he moved to Dublin, Ireland, invited by the leader of Ireland, Éamon de Valera. He joined the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and stayed there until 1955. While in Dublin, he wrote a book called What Is Life?, which inspired scientists like James Watson and Francis Crick in their discovery of the DNA double helix. Schrödinger became an Irish citizen in 1948 but kept his Austrian citizenship too.

Main article: Schrödinger's cat

Later life and death

In 1956, after Austria became neutral, Schrödinger returned to Vienna to work as a professor emeritus at the University of Vienna. During a big lecture at the World Power Conference, he chose not to talk about nuclear power because he was unsure about it, and instead gave a talk about philosophy. At this time, he also talked more about the idea of waves instead of both waves and particles, which caused some debate.

Schrödinger had been dealing with tuberculosis for many years and often stayed at a sanatorium in Arosa, Switzerland, where he first thought up his famous wave equation. He passed away from tuberculosis on 4 January 1961 in Vienna at the age of 73. Even though he was not a Catholic, he was buried in a Catholic cemetery in Alpbach after the priest there learned he was a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Research and interests

Erwin Schrödinger explored many areas of science during his career. Early on, he worked on electrical engineering, atmospheric electricity, and radioactivity, often with his teacher Franz Exner. He also studied vibrational theory, Brownian motion, and mathematical statistics.

Schrödinger is best known for his work in quantum mechanics. He developed the Schrödinger equation, which helps scientists understand how tiny particles behave. This equation was a major breakthrough and changed the way people study physics and chemistry. He also introduced the idea of quantum entanglement in 1935, describing it as a key difference between classical and quantum physics.

Personal life

Erwin Schrödinger married Annemarie Bertel in 1920. In 1938, he moved to Ireland and brought his wife and another woman, Hilde March, with him. They all lived together in Dublin.

Schrödinger had relationships with several women during his life. Some people have criticized his behavior toward young women, but these details are not suitable for young readers. One of his grandchildren, Terry Rudolph, became a quantum physicist and teaches at Imperial College London.

Recognition

Erwin Schrödinger was honored with many awards and titles during his career for his important contributions to science. He became a member of several prestigious groups that recognize top scientists around the world. His work helped shape our understanding of how tiny particles behave, especially through his famous equation that describes their behavior over time.

Commemoration

Erwin Schrödinger's ideas, especially those about Schrödinger's cat, continue to spark discussions in science today. His work laid important foundations for quantum mechanics. There are several places and things named after him, including a crater on the far side of the Moon called Schrödinger crater.

Schrödinger also appeared on a special Austrian banknote from 1983 to 1997. Buildings and routes in places like Ireland, Berlin, and France carry his name. In 2013, Google honored his 126th birthday with a special drawing known as a Google Doodle.

Publications

Erwin Schrödinger wrote many important books about science and nature. Some of his well-known works include What Is Life?, which explains his ideas about biology, and Science and the Human Temperament, where he discusses how people think about science. His books have been published by different companies and are still studied today.

You can find a full list of his publications online, compiled by researchers Auguste Dick, Gabriele Kerber, Wolfgang Kerber, and Karl von Meyenn.