3. Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937)

Ernest Rutherford was born on August 30, 1871 in South Island, New Zealand in the family of English settlers.

In 1861 gold was found in New Zealand and many foreigners came to live there. Industry began to develop; the country began to increase its export. Ernest's father earned his living by bridge-building and other construction work required in the country at that time. At the same time he carried on small-scale farming. When James Rutherford, the father of the future great scientist, was 26 he became friends with Miss Tompson, a teacher of an English school. The young people fell in love and in 1866 they married.

Little Ernest was the fourth child in the family. When the boy was five he was sent to primary school. He was one of the best pupils there.

At "Nelson College" (that was the name of the school) Ernest distinguished himself in physics, mathematics, English, French and Latin. He became the best pupil at school. At the age of 19 he finished school and entered the only New Zealand University called Canterbury College. The University was founded in 1870. When Rutherford entered the University there were only 150 students; and 7 professors there. At the University Ernest Rutherford was one of the most talented students. He studied much but took an active part in sport competitions. He also took an active part in the work of the Scientific society at the University. At one of the meetings of this Society he made his scientific report "The Evolution of Elements". At the same time he began his research work. For his talented scientific research work he got a prize. Later Rutherford went to Cambridge where he continued his researches. In the early years of Soviet power in the USSR Rutherford helped our scientific institutions in preparing young scientists.

About ten years Ernest Rutherford lived and worked in Canada. There he occupied a research chair in physics at the University in Montreal. Then he lectured in leading Universities in the United States and England, from 1907 till 1919. He worked at the University of Manchester. Rutherford's famous work is "The Scattering of Alpha and Beta Particles of Matter and the Structure of the Atom". The book deals with so-called "atom models", according to which the atom is pictured as composed of a central charge surrounded by a sphere of electrification of equal but opposite charge.

The atoms had always been regarded as the smallest indivisible units of which matter was composed. Further research showed that the atom was made up of smaller parts and that its structure was very complex. It resembled the solar system, with a central nucleus and a number of electrons, very much smaller than the nucleus and revolving around it. It was shown by Rutherford that the atom could be bombarded so that the electrons could be thrown off, and nucleus itself could be broken in the process of splitting the nucleus, matter was converted into energy which for the scientists of the 19th century seemed to be impossible. The splitting of the atom has opened to man a new and enormous source of energy. The most important results have been obtained by splitting the atom of uranium.