William Henry Bragg Biography

Sir William Henry Bragg was a British scientist who shared the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics with his son, William Lawrence Bragg. The father-son duo won the Nobel Prize "for their services in the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-rays". William Henry Bragg was a multi-talented personality; he was a physicist, chemist, mathematician and active sportsman. He lost his mother at an early age and was raised by his uncle. He was a gifted student and went on to win a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge. After graduating from the Cambridge, he was worked as Professor of Mathematics and Physics in the University of Adelaide. After spending 23 years in Australia, he returned to England and joined the University of Leeds. During this period he collaborated with his son to conduct research on analysis of crystal structure by means of X-rays, for which the father-son duo won the Nobel Prize. He also helped the British authorities during the First World War with detection of submarines. He won plenty of prizes and honours in his life and will certainly be counted amongst one of the finest scientists of the 20th century.