Bridgman Percy W

Bridgman Percy W was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on 21st April 1882. His researches’ concerning the effects of high-pressures on materials and their thermodynamic behavior, commenced in 1905, continued throughout his career. Ho has carried out extensive investigations on the properties of matter at pressures up to 100,000 atmospheres, including a study of the compressibility, electric and thermal conductivity, tensile strength and viscosity of more than 100 different compounds. He developed a method of packing which eliminated leak, and later introduced various methods external support to pressure vessels as higher pressures were demanded. Bridgman has also contributed to crystallography, where he devised a method of growing single crystals, to the problems of electrical conduction effect, and to the philosophy of modern physics. In the latter field, he is strong supporter of the operational viewpoint, considering it meaningless to interpret physical concepts, except as they are capable of observation.