profiIe1in chemiftry
edited by ROGER R. FESTA School of Education, Box U-33 The University Storrs, of Connecticut CT 06268
had studied with Abegg, but she gave up her scientific career after her marriage. Martin R. Feldman and Monica L. Tarver Haher directed his attention to the "nitrogen problem" in Howard University 1904. The precarious supply from South America of nitrate Washington, DC 20059 for fertilizer stimulated investigations of several synthetic processes. Haher measured the equilibrium for the formation Fritz Haber, whose contributions to practical chemistry of ammonia from nitronen and hvdroeen a t atmospheric significantly affected world history, was a classical tragic hero. " pressure and found that ammonia was present in very small The questions which we ask today about a scientist's reamounts. He concluded that industrial exploitation of the sponsibility to his nation and to humanity were asked more synthesis was not feasible and dropped the project. However, than 60 years ago about Haber. Walther Nernst, professor at the University of Berlin and the Haber was born in Breslau, Germany, on December 9,1868. most eminent physical chemist of his time, noted that Haher's Fritz received a broad education, which included classical results did not agree with Nernst's theoretical prediction. and cji Berlrrr irr l A ( i Ia11,wagts, ~ I hc,I tmrt~llwl,,I thc ['niver=i~? Nernst reported new measurements for the equilihrium. 1 0 beg111hiss~udv ~dclrrmistry.He \ ~ h~rturiatc a I I I have the Spurred by Nernst's criticism, Haber reinvestigated the .\,\V. Hotniann, aq
