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Paul Dirac

theoretical physicist

Born: Died: British

Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac (8 August 1902 – 20 October 1984) was a British theoretical physicist who is considered to be one of the founders of quantum mechanics. Dirac laid the foundations for both quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory, coining the former term. He was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge from 1932 to 1969, and a professor of physics at Florida State University from 1970 to 1984. Dirac shared the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics with Erwin Schrödinger "for the discovery of new productive forms of atomic theory."

Dirac graduated from the University of Bristol with a First Class Honours Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1921, and a first class honours Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics in 1923. Dirac then graduated from St John's College, Cambridge, with a Ph.D. in physics in 1926, writing the first ever thesis on quantum mechanics.

He formulated the Dirac equation, one of the most important results in physics, in 1928. It connected special relativity and quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter. He wrote a famous paper in 1931, which further predicted the existence of antimatter.

Notable For

British theoretical physicist

Paul Dirac's Historical Timeline

  1. Paul Dirac is born

    Paul Dirac, British theoretical physicist, known for british theoretical physicist, was born on 1902-08-08.

  2. Nobel Prize for Physics is presented to Paul Dirac and Erwin Schrödinger "for the discovery of new productive forms of a

    Nobel Prize for Physics is presented to Paul Dirac and Erwin Schrödinger "for the discovery of new productive forms of atomic theory"

Associated Historical Events

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Paul Dirac born?
Paul Dirac was born on 1902-08-08 (British).
What is Paul Dirac known for?
British theoretical physicist
What historical events involved Paul Dirac?
Paul Dirac was involved in 2 recorded historical events, including Paul Dirac is born, Nobel Prize for Physics is presented to Paul Dirac and Erwin Schrödinger "for the discovery of new productive forms of a.
When did Paul Dirac die?
Paul Dirac died on 1984-01-01.

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