Lise Meitner: Life and Achievements

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Questions and Answers

What significant discovery did Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch reveal regarding nuclear fission?

The energy released is proportional to the amount of uranium used.

Nuclear fission can only occur with specific isotopes of uranium.

The process can be reversed to create larger nuclei.

The 'lost' mass during fission is converted into energy. (correct)

In which year did Meitner and Frisch publish their findings on nuclear fission?

1953

1939 (correct)

1944

1938

What was the key element bombarded in Hahn's 1938 experiment that led to nuclear fission?

Uranium (correct)

Thorium

Plutonium

Radium

Despite her contributions, why was Lise Meitner not awarded the Nobel Prize in 1944?

The award was only granted to Otto Hahn. Signup and view all the answers

How did Lise Meitner view the overall impact of science, despite her lack of recognition?

As a pursuit bringing joy and satisfaction. Signup and view all the answers

What significant term did Lise Meitner coin in the field of nuclear physics?

Nuclear fission Signup and view all the answers

Which notable achievement did Lise Meitner accomplish at the University of Vienna?

Second woman to receive a physics doctorate Signup and view all the answers

In what year did Lise Meitner publish the theory of nuclear fission?

1939 Signup and view all the answers

What was Lise Meitner's educational background before she pursued a physics doctorate?

Received private tutoring after being barred from state schooling Signup and view all the answers

What factor contributed to Lise Meitner receiving the 1966 Enrico Fermi Award?

Her contributions to understanding nuclear fission Signup and view all the answers

What year did Lise Meitner attain a salaried position equivalent to that of Otto Hahn?

1913 Signup and view all the answers

Which notable physicist invited Lise Meitner to conduct postdoctoral studies in 1907?

Max Planck Signup and view all the answers

What major scientific breakthrough did Meitner contribute to with Otto Frisch in 1939?

Understanding of nuclear fission Signup and view all the answers

In which year did Lise Meitner receive 48 nominations for the Nobel Prize?

1924-1965 Signup and view all the answers

What was Lise Meitner's achievement in 1926?

First Female Physics Professor in Germany Signup and view all the answers

What prompted further studies and experiments on nuclear energy after 1939?

Hahn's reports of uranium research Signup and view all the answers

Who aided Lise Meitner in her escape to Sweden during the Nazi era?

Niels Bohr and Dirk Coster Signup and view all the answers

What lighter element was formed when uranium was bombarded with neutrons, according to Meitner's findings?

Barium Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Early Life and Education

Lise Meitner was born in Vienna to a Jewish family
Her father was a lawyer who created an intellectually stimulating environment
At age 8 she showed an interest in mathematics and science
She received private tutoring as girls were barred from state schools
She passed the University of Vienna entrance exam at 23
She was tutored by Ludwig Boltzmann
She was the second woman to receive a doctorate in physics from the University of Vienna

Career Highlights

Meitner moved to Berlin and worked as a departmental assistant at Max Planck's physics institute
She became head of the physics department at the University of Berlin
She was awarded the Leibniz Medal and became the supervisor of the physics section
She fled Nazi Germany in 1938 and settled in Sweden
She published the theory of nuclear fission with her nephew Otto Frisch
She received the Enrico Fermi Award with Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann in 1966

Early Career and Radiation Research

Meitner was invited by Max Planck to conduct postdoctoral studies at the University of Berlin
She worked without salary alongside leading physicists including Einstein
She worked with Otto Hahn studying radioactive elements and discovering new isotopes
She became the first female physics professor in Germany in 1926

Enrico Fermi and Nuclear Chain Reaction

Enrico Fermi created the first working nuclear chain reaction in 1942
He had achieved nuclear fission in 1934
Meitner’s and Otto Frisch’s work in 1939 prompted further nuclear research
This research persuaded the US military of the potential for a nuclear bomb

Nuclear Discovery

Meitner received a report from Hahn about unusual results of research on nuclear uranium
Uranium seemed to “burst” and form barium when bombarded with neutrons

Personal Context and Nazi Era

Meitner converted to Christianity in 1908
She was increasingly vulnerable throughout the Nazi era as a Jewish woman
She fled to Sweden in 1938 after Austria was annexed by Germany

Lise Meitner on Nuclear Fission

Meitner worked with Otto Frisch to understand fission
When uranium atoms split, the resulting nuclei weighed less than the original
This mass was converted into energy following Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
Meitner and Frisch published their findings in 1939
This discovery was quickly followed by development of the atomic bomb
Meitner did not receive the 1944 Nobel Prize, which was awarded only to Otto Hahn
She remained optimistic and stated that science can bring joy and satisfaction

Hahn’s Experiment (1938)

Hahn’s 1938 experiment included bombarding a nucleus with a neutron
The bombardment caused the nucleus to split and release energy

Diagram Description

The diagram shows a large nucleus splitting into two smaller nuclei, accompanied by a large burst of energy
The splitting occurs after being bombarded with a neutron

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Description

Explore the remarkable journey of Lise Meitner, a pioneering physicist who made significant contributions to nuclear physics. From her early education in Vienna to her notable career in Berlin and her eventual escape to Sweden during WWII, this quiz covers the key milestones in her life and work.