J. D. van der Waals

Biography

Abstract

Johannes Diderik van der Waals was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1910 "for his work on the equation of state for gases and liquids." Throughout the majority of his career, he held a position at the University of Amsterdam, where he was the first Professor of Physics.

Physicist.

Important Dates

November 23, 1837Birth, Leiden (Netherlands).

1864Teacher at a secondary school, Deventer (Netherlands).

1865Obtained teaching certificates in mathematics and physics, University of Leiden (Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden), Leiden (Netherlands).

1866Teacher and Director at a secondary school, Hague (Netherlands).

1873Obtained PhD in Physics, University of Leiden (Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden), Leiden (Netherlands).

1875Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen).

1876Professor of Physics, University of Amsterdam (Universiteit van Amsterdam), Amsterdam (Netherlands).

1896 – 1912Secretary, Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen).

1910Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his work on the equation of state for gases and liquids".

March 8, 1923Death, Amsterdam (Netherlands).

Places

Birth

Leiden (Netherlands)

Undergraduate Education

Leiden (Netherlands)

Employment

Deventer (Netherlands)

Hague (Netherlands)

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Graduate Education

Leiden (Netherlands)

Death

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Subjects

Gases.

Matter.

Thermodynamics.

Relationships

People

Family

Waals, J. D. van der (Johannes Diderik), Jr., 1873-1971

Son and advised by his father at University of Amsterdam. He later also became Professor of Physics, University of Amsterdam.

Advisors & Collaborators

Boldingh, Gerrit Hondius

Advised by Waals at University of Amsterdam.

Keesom, W. H. (Willem Hendrik), b. 1876.

Advised by Waals at University of Amsterdam.

Kohnstamm, Philipp, 1875-1951

Advised by Waals at University of Amsterdam.

Korteweg, D.

Advised by Waals at University of Amsterdam.

Rijke, P. L. (Pieter Leonard), 1812-1899

Advisor at University of Leiden.

Timmermans, Jean, 1882-

Advised by Waals at University of Amsterdam.

Additional

Kamerlingh Onnes, Heike, 1853-1926

Kasterin, Nikolaj Petrovich

Levelt Sengers, J. M. H.

Meggers, William F. (William Frederick), 1888-1966

Zeeman, Pieter, 1865-1943

Zernike, Frits, 1888-1966

Institutions

Major Positions

Universiteit van Amsterdam

Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen

Member and Secretary.

Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden

Obtained teaching certificates in physics and mathematics (1865) and PhD in Physics (1873).

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

Nikolai P. Kasterin papers.

Archives. Division.

Moscow M. V. Lomonsosov University

Leninskie gory, Mscow 117234, Russia

Pieter Zeeman papers, 1877-1946.

Rijksarchief in Noord-Holland

Kleine Houtweg 18, Haarlem, Netherlands

William F. Meggers home movies [motion picture], 1927-1959.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

De relativiteits-theorie / door J.D. van der Waals, Jr.

Die continuität des gasförmigen und flüssigen zustandes / von prof. dr. J.D. van der Waals ; aus dem holländischen übersetzt und mit zusätzen verehen, von dr. Friedrich Roth.

Lehrbuch der Thermodynamik in ihrer Anwendung auf das Gleichgewicht von Systemen mit gasförmigflüssigen Phasen, nach Vorlesungen von J. D. v.d. Waals bearbeitet von Ph. Kohnstamm.

Subject

Chemistry Explained: J. D. van der Waals biography.

How fluids unmix : discoveries by the School of Van der Waals and Kamerlingh Onnes / Johanna Levelt Sengers.

J. D. van der Waals Nobel Prize biography.

Van der Waals and molecular sciences / by A. Ya. Kipnis, B.E. Yavelov and J.S. Rowlinson.