description Lars Onsager Overview
Lars Onsager was a Norwegian-American physical chemist whose work fundamentally altered the study of thermodynamic systems outside of equilibrium. In 1931, he formulated the Onsager reciprocal relations, mathematical equations showing a strict symmetry in the flow of heat, mass, and electricity. This theoretical framework established the foundation of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, explaining how different physical forces and gradients mathematically influence one another. He was awarded the 1968 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for these discoveries, which remain vital in chemical engineering and physical chemistry.
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Lars Onsager ranks #42 of 203 in the Chemist ranking, behind Paul Sabatier, ahead of Benjamin List.
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What did Lars Onsager win the Nobel Prize for?
Lars Onsager was awarded the 1968 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for formulating the Onsager reciprocal relations. This discovery fundamentally altered the study of thermodynamic systems that are not in equilibrium.
What are the Onsager reciprocal relations?
Formulated in 1931, these mathematical equations demonstrate a strict symmetry in the flow of heat, mass, and electrical charge. They proved that if a temperature difference drives an electric current, an electric potential must similarly drive a heat current.
What was the "Onsager solution" in physics?
Before his thermodynamics work, Onsager famously solved the two-dimensional Ising model in 1944, a complex problem in statistical mechanics. This mathematical breakthrough described how phase transitions occur in magnetic materials without relying on approximations.
Where did Lars Onsager work?
After leaving Norway, Onsager spent the vast majority of his professional career at Brown University and later Yale University. Despite struggling with public speaking, his profound mathematical abilities made him a legendary figure at Yale.
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