Dirk Coster

Dirk Coster was a Dutch physicist. He held the post of Professor of Physics and Metrology at Copenhagen University. In 1923 he discovered Hafnium (Hf) (element 72) along with George Charles von Hevesey, by means of X-ray spectroscopic analysis of zirconium ore. The discovery took place in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Related Topics:
Dutch - Physics - Metrology - Copenhagen University - Hafnium - George Charles von Hevesey - X-ray - Spectroscopic - Zirconium - Copenhagen - Denmark

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Element 72 had been known to be a gap in the sequence of elements since 1924, when Henry Moseley created an experimental technique for placing the elements in a definite sequence.

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Radiochemist Fritz Paneth suggested that element 72 might be found in ores of zirconium. (Some histories incorrectly attribute this suggestion to physicist Niels Bohr.) Bohr published a prediction of the electronic configuration of element 72 in 1923. von Hevesey had been working with Bohr at this time. Some sources also list Coster as "Bohr's assistant", but other soruces indicate that this is incorrect.

Related Topics:
Fritz Paneth - Niels Bohr

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