Book 27, Question 16 · Video
How did a father and son discover how crystals are built?
In 1912 and 1913, the British physicists William Henry Bragg and his son William Lawrence Bragg showed that X-rays bouncing off the layers of atoms in a crystal make a pattern that reveals the atoms' positions. They first solved the structure of table salt. The two shared the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics, and the son, at age 25, is still the youngest person to win it.
Read the full answer →Watch on YouTubeSee the series on Amazon
What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How did a father and son discover how crystals are built?
The Big Idea
A father and son team made a huge discovery! They figured out how crystals are built. Let's meet the Braggs.
The Discovery
Step one: The Discovery. In 1912 and 1913, British physicists William Henry Bragg and his son William Lawrence Bragg made a discovery. X-rays bouncing off layers of atoms make a pattern that reveals the atoms' positions.
Salt First
Step two: Salt First. They first solved the structure of table salt. It was the start of a whole new science.
Nobel Prize
Step three: Nobel Prize. The two shared the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics. The son, at age 25, is still the youngest person to win it.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Dad was a physicist. His son was too. Salt came first. They won together.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! The Braggs worked in England, and Lawrence grew up in Australia. Salt was solved first. Youngest physics winner. X-rays reveal atoms.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Draw two rows of dots for layers of atoms. Draw waves bouncing off each layer. Show how the waves can add together. Label your picture. Explain it to a friend.
Outro
William Henry Bragg and his son Lawrence showed that X-rays bouncing off a crystal's layers reveal where its atoms sit. They solved table salt first and shared the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics. Science is amazing! What will you discover next? Every question is a new adventure, so keep wondering and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!