Robert Andrew Millikan Essay -- essays research papers

Robert Andrew Millikan     In 1909 Robert Andrew Millikan set up an apparatus to measure the chargeof an electron within an accuracy range of 3%. In 1913 he came out with avalue of the electrical charge that would serve the world of science for ageneration.     Young Millikan had a childhood wish most others he had no idea what hisprofession would be. Once he recalled trying to jump from a rowboat to a dock,falling in the water, and closely drowning. Here he had his first account withphysics - Newtons Third Law of Motion "For every action there is an equal and foeman reaction". Even in High School natural philosophy courses Millikan was not sospirited, which may have had a little to do with his teachers habit of spendingthe summers using a divining rod to find water. After Millikan graduated fromMaquoketa High he was accepted into Oberlin College. Robert actually began hisphysics career when he taught an elementary course at the req uest of his Greekprofessor during his sophomore year. He then transferred to Columbia Universityfrom which he graduated in 1893 as the lone(prenominal) student graduate in physics. Afterthis accomplishment Millikan travelled to Germany to study with such professorsPlanck and others. When this period was on his resume Millikan was offered aposition in the Physics department at the University of Chicago and Millikantook it. After teaching for a period Millikan decided that physics could o...