Sir James Dewar FRS (September 20, 1842 – March 27, 1923) was a Scottish chemist and physicist. He is probably best-known today for his invention of the Dewar flask, which he used in conjunction with extensive research into the liquefaction of gases. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... James Dewar may refer to: Sir James Dewar, Scottish chemist and physicist James Dewar (1897?-1985), U.S. baker James Dewar, rock vocalist Dr. James Dewar, Director of center at RAND Category: ... The Fellowship of the Royal Society was founded in 1660. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic and Scots1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... A chemist pours from a round-bottom flask. ... Articles with similar titles include physician, a person who practices medicine. ... A Dewar flask is a vessel designed to provide very good thermal insulation. ...

Life and work

James Dewar was born in Kincardine-on-Forth, the youngest of six boys. He lost his parents at the age of 15. He was educated at Dollar Academy and the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated. Later Dewar became professor at the University of Cambridge, in 1875, and still later a member of London's Royal Institution, in 1877. Kincardine on Forth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, in Fife, Scotland. ... The Playfair Building Dollar Academy is a co-educational private school based in Dollar, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. ... The University of Edinburgh (Scottish Gaelic: ), founded in 1582,[4] is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the worlds most prestigious universities. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Royal Institution of Great Britain was set up in 1799 by the leading British scientists of the age, including Henry Cavendish and its first president George Finch, the 9th Earl of Winchilsea, for diffusing the knowledge, and facilitating the general introduction, of useful mechanical inventions and improvements; and for... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1867 Dewar described several chemical formulae for benzene.^[1] Unfortunately, one of the formulae, which does not represent benzene correctly and was not advocated by Dewar, is sometimes still called Dewar benzene.^[2] Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the formula C6H6. ... Dewar benzene or bicyclo[2. ...

Dewar was particularly interested in atomic and molecular spectroscopy, working in these fields for more than 25 years. Extremely high resolution spectrogram of the Sun showing thousands of elemental absorption lines (fraunhofer lines) Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between radiation (electromagnetic radiation, or light, as well as particle radiation) and matter. ...

In 1891 he discovered a process to produce liquid oxygen in industrial quantities. He developed an insulating bottle, the Dewar flask, still named after him, to study low temperature gas phenomena. He also used this bottle to transport liquid gases such as hydrogen. In 1905 he observed that cold charcoal could produce a vacuum. This technique was quite useful for experiments in atomic physics. Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... General Name, Symbol, Number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals, chalcogens Group, Period, Block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) very pale blue (liquid) Standard atomic weight 15. ... A Dewar flask is a vessel designed to provide very good thermal insulation. ... General Name, Symbol, Number hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1, 1, s Appearance colorless Atomic mass 1. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Charcoal is the blackish residue consisting of impure carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. ... Look up Vacuum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Along with Frederick Augustus Abel, Dewar developed cordite, a smokeless gunpowder alternative. Sir Frederick Augustus Abel, Bart. ... Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from the late 19th Century to replace Gunpowder as a military propellant for large weapons, such as tank guns, artillery and naval guns. ...

Dewar died in London in 1923, and his remains were cremated at Golders Green. A lunar crater has been named in his honor. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. ... Dewar is a lunar crater that lies on the Moons far side. ...

Selected publications

• Collected Papers on Spectroscopy, G. D. Liveing and J. Dewar, Cambridge University Press, 1915

External links

• Meiklejohn, William, "Tulliallan: Four lads o’ pairts: Sir James Dewar (1842-1923)" from the Kincardine Local History Group

• Bellis, Mary, "Inventors Sir James Dewar" from about.com

• Armstrong, H. E., Obituary of James Dewar

• Brief biography from the Royal Institution of Great Britain

• Brief biography and picture

• Another brief biography

• Dewar's work on soap bubbles

• Sloan, T. O'Connor, Liquid Air and the Liquefaction of Gases, Norman W. Henley and Co., New York, 1900, second edition (extensive description of Dewar's work on the liqufaction of gases)

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Royal Institution of Great Britain was set up in 1799 by the leading lights of the age, including Henry Cavendish and its first president George Finch, the 9th Earl of Winchilsea, for diffusing the knowledge, and facilitating the general introduction, of useful mechanical inventions and improvements; and for teaching...

Notes