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Rutherford was brought up in the humble surroundings of Brightwater, Nelson. His father was a mechanic and engineer, while his mother used to be a primary school teacher. He was the fourth of twelve children in the family, and money was scarce. He had to deal with the personal tragedy of the death of some of his siblings.
Homework and education was important during his childhood. His mother would make sure he did all his homework, stating the words ‘All knowledge is power.’ Who would have known the statement would be so true? Rutherford attended extension classes at school and showed obvious scientific interest and observation skill.
He attended Nelson College and became head boy, dux and First XV rugby forward in his final year with top marks in all his classes. He was one of ten people in New Zealand who won a Junior Scholarship that year, but only after sitting the exams two times. Like everything he did in life, he never succeeded first time but with constant persisitence ended in success.
And with this dilligence and refusal to give up, Rutherford exceeded the boundaries perhaps otherwise expected. He has received the Rumford Medal in 1904, a Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1908, and an Order of Merit in 1925.
His childhood home has become a shrine for Nelson visitors.
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Rutherford achieved many things during his life time, and his scientific knowledge and interest proved valuable throughout.
Here are some of his most important achievements:
- In 1893 Lord Rutherford developed a timing system which was able to switch circuits in one 100000th of a second.
- In 1896 Rutherford set a world record for wireless wave speed.
- Rutherford discovered that there are two types of radioactive atoms, and these are now called the alpha and beta rays.
- Rutherford developed the principles for a basic smoke detector in 1899.
- In 1899 he also discovered the radioactive gas called radon.
- Since the times of the ancient Greeks, it had been common human philosophy that all atoms remained totally still. However Ernest Rutherford changed human view of the world entirely when he proved that atoms moved and changed structure. This amazing discovery earned him a Nobel Prize in 1908.
- During 1905 Rutherford confirmed the age of the Earth.
- In 1908, with the assistance of Hans Geiger, Rutherford developed the Rutherford Geiger detector, which detected single ionizing particles. The metal tube instrument was later improved to the Geiger counter still used today.
- Rutherford made an important discovery in 1911. He discovered and studied the structure of an atom. He realised that the atom had a tiny nucleus in the centre, and this contained positively charged
protrons. It wasn’t until 1920 that he discovered neutrons existed on outer shells. Knowing this structure, Rutherford developed the atomic number which allows us to quickly define basic properties
of an atom.
- From the years 1915 to 1917 Rutherford was at work on a new project. He developed a detection system for submarines, and with W.H. Bragg he also developed a detection system for submarine sound.
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