1938+Otto+Hahn

**Otto Hahn 1879- 1968**

Otto Hahn was born on March 8th, 1879 in Frankfurt, Germany. He went to the University of Marburg and studied chemistry and minerology. He chose pysics and philosphy for subsidary subjects. He graduated with a Ph. D. in Orcanic Chemistry. While in Montreal, Canada he discovered radio-actinium in 1905. In 1907he was working on beta-rays. He had to stop in 1914 due to World War II. He picked back up in 1918. In 1938 he discovered nuclear fission along with Fritz Strassman and Lise Meitner. People were worried that he might help the Germans or Hiltler because nuclear fission is what is used to make bombs. Nuclear Fission is the splitting of atoms. They found that when uranium was surrounded by nuetrons would split. It would split into smaller lighter weight molecules. In 1944 Hahn won a Nobel prize. Some people who had been following the discovery of nuclear fission and believed that Meitner shold have won the prize instead of Hahn. At the time Hahn was being held at Farm Hall. His location was kept a secret so the nobel committee could not send him a congratulations note. He found out through a local newspaper that he had won the prize. He died on July 28, 1968. Some elements had been considered to have a name relating to Otto Hahn. Although his theory was never proven incorrect he proved Democritus's theory incorrect. Democritus said that an atom could not be created or destoyed and Hahn was able to split an atom through nuclear fission.

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Spartacus education [|www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERhahn.htm] by: Kierstyn :)