Roentgen or Röntgen, Wilhelm Conrad

Roentgen or Röntgen, Wilhelm Conrad (both: rent'gin, rŭnt'–, Ger. vil'helm kôn'rät rönt'gun) [key], 1845–1923, German physicist. His notable research in many fields of physics, especially thermology, mechanics, and electricity, has been overshadowed by his discovery (1895) of a short-wave ray, the Roentgen ray, or X ray, for which he received the first Nobel Prize in Physics (1901). He taught at several German universities, including those at Würzburg (1888–99) and Munich (1899–1920).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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