1862-1942

English Physicist

1890-1971

English Physicist

The Braggs, William Lawrence and William Henry, studied the diffraction of the then newly discovered x rays by crystalline solids. Their studies confirmed that interatomic distances could be accurately determined by this technique. X-ray diffraction has come to be accepted as the most accurate method of determining the structures of molecules and complex crystals.

William Henry Bragg attended Cambridge University, graduating with honors in 1885 and moving to Australia to accept a teaching post at the University of Adelaide. In Australia he married, his wife giving birth to William Lawrence in 1890. At Adelaide he developed a reputation as an outstanding teacher and public speaker, and busied himself with the affairs of the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science. His research output was meager, however, not at all consistent...