Compton, Arthur Holly (1892-1962), an American physicist, achieved great success, acclaim, and influence in the field of X rays. Compton shared the 1927 Nobel Prize in physics with the Scottish physicist Charles T. R. Wilson.
In 1923, Compton discovered what came to be known as the Compton effect. The effect indicates that light, X rays, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation are composed of tiny particles of energy known as photons. He observed that photons colliding with electrons scatter (become deflected from their initial paths). These photons increase in wavelength because they give up some of their energy in the collision. Wilson later confirmed these findings with a cloud chamber, a device that made the paths of the particles visible.
In the 1930’s, Compton became interested in a new topic, the nature of cosmic rays (electrically charged particles from outer space). He studied the intensity of cosmic rays at various locations on Earth’s surface. He observed that cosmic rays were deflected by Earth’s magnetic field, proving that they consist of charged particles.
From 1942 to 1945, during World War II, Compton directed the Metallurgical Laboratory of the University of Chicago, part of a secret United States government science project called the Manhattan Project. The project produced the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction, which led to the first atomic bomb. His book Atomic Quest: A Personal Narrative (1956) gives an account of his personal involvement with the bomb.
Compton was born at Wooster, Ohio, on Sept. 10, 1892. He was educated at the College of Wooster, Princeton University, and Cambridge University. He taught at the University of Minnesota, Washington University, and the University of Chicago. Compton died on March 15, 1962.
