Albert Einstein
- Born:
- March 14, 1879, Ulm, Württemberg, Germany
- Died:
- April 18, 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality:
- German (1879–1896), Stateless (1896–1901), Swiss (1901–1955), German (1914–1933), American (1940–1955)
- Profession(s):
- Theoretical Physicist, Mathematician
Early Life and Education
- Born in Ulm, Germany, to Hermann Einstein and Pauline Koch.
- Early education was primarily at home and in Catholic elementary school.
- Attended Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich, Germany.
- Renounced German citizenship at age 16.
- Graduated from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich in 1900.
- Earned a doctorate from the University of Zurich in 1905.
Career and Major Achievements
- Worked as a patent examiner at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern (1902-1909).
- Published four groundbreaking papers in 1905, often referred to as his "annus mirabilis" (miracle year).
- Developed the theory of special relativity.
- Formulated the mass-energy equivalence, E=mc².
- Developed the theory of general relativity.
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.
- Served as Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics in Berlin.
- Emigrated to the United States in 1933, due to the rise of Nazism in Germany.
- Became a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.
- Wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, warning of the potential for Nazi Germany to develop atomic weapons.
Notable Works
- "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (1905), introduced special relativity.
- "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" (1905), introduced E=mc².
- "On a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light" (1905), explained the photoelectric effect.
- "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" (1916).
- Relativity: The Special and the General Theory (1916), a popular science book explaining relativity.
Legacy and Impact
Albert Einstein is considered one of the most influential scientists of all time. His theories of relativity revolutionized our understanding of space, time, gravity, and the universe. His work paved the way for numerous technological advancements, including the development of nuclear energy and atomic clocks. He was also a vocal advocate for peace and social justice. The process to create a detailed "masahiro sakurai biography of albert" is beyond the scope of this assignment; this is a biography of Albert Einstein.
Awards and Honors
Award | Year |
---|---|
Nobel Prize in Physics | 1921 |
Copley Medal | 1925 |
Max Planck Medal | 1929 |