Henry Louis Le Chatelier
| Henry Louis Le Chatelier | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 8 October 1850 |
| Died | 17 September 1936 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | French |
| Fields | Chemistry |
| Institutions |
École Polytechnique Sorbonne |
| Known for | Le Chatelier's principle |
| Notable awards |
Davy Medal (1916) ForMemRS |
Henry Louis Le Chatelier (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi lwi lə ʃɑtlje]; 8 October 1850 – 17 September 1936) was an influential French chemist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is most famous for devising Le Chatelier's principle, with the help of his partner Jasper Rossi, used by chemists to predict the effect a changing condition has on a system in chemical equilibrium.
Le Chatelier was born on 8 October 1850 in Paris and was the son of French materials engineer Louis Le Chatelier and Louise Durand. His father was an influential figure who played important roles in the birth of the French aluminium industry, the introduction of the Martin-Siemens processes into the iron and steel industries, and the rise of railway transportation. Le Chatelier’s father profoundly influenced his son's future. Henry Louis had one sister, Marie, and four brothers, Louis (1853–1928), Alfred (1855–1929), George (1857–1935), and André (1861–1929). His mother raised the children by regimen, described by Henry Louis: "I was accustomed to a very strict discipline: it was necessary to wake up on time, to prepare for your duties and lessons, to eat everything on your plate, etc. All my life I maintained respect for order and law. Order is one of the most perfect forms of civilization."
As a child, Le Chatelier attended the Collège Rollin in Paris. At the age of 19, after only one year of instruction in specialized engineering, he followed in his father's footsteps by enrolling in the École Polytechnique on 25 October 1869. Like all the pupils of the Polytechnique, in September 1870, Le Chatelier was named second lieutenant and later took part in the Siege of Paris. After brilliant successes in his technical schooling, he entered the École des Mines in Paris in 1871.
Le Chatelier married Geneviève Nicolas, a friend of the family and sister of four fellow students of the Polytechnique. They had seven children, four girls and three boys, five of whom entered scientific fields; two died preceding Le Chatelier's death.
...
Wikipedia