Robert Andrews Millikan (March 22, 1868 – December 19, 1953) was an American experimental physicist honored with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1923 for the measurement of the elementary electric charge and for his work on the photoelectric effect.
Millikan graduated from Oberlin College in 1891 and obtained his doctorate at Columbia University in 1895. In 1896 he became an assistant at the University of Chicago, where he became a full professor in 1910. In 1909 Millikan began a series of experiments to determine the electric charge carried by a single electron. He began by measuring the course of charged water droplets in an electric field. The results suggested that the charge on the droplets is a multiple of the elementary electric charge, but the experiment was not accurate enough to be convincing. He obtained more precise results in 1910 with his famous oil-drop experiment in which he replaced water (which tended to evaporate too quickly) with oil.
In 1914 Millikan took up with similar skill the experimental verification of the equation introduced by Albert Einstein in 1905 to describe the photoelectric effect. He used this same research to obtain an accurate value of Planck’s constant. In 1921 Millikan left the University of Chicago to become director of the Norman Bridge Laboratory of Physics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. There he undertook a major study of the radiation that the physicist Victor Hess had detected coming from outer space. Millikan proved that this radiation is indeed of extraterrestrial origin, and he named it "cosmic rays." As chairman of the Executive Council of Caltech (the school's governing body at the time) from 1921 until his retirement in 1945, Millikan helped to turn the school into one of the leading research institutions in the United States. He also served on the board of trustees for Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public, from 1921 to 1953.
Sol turns thousands of years of human wisdom from the world’s spiritual traditions into a totally unique personality profile. To get your own profile, check compatibility with friends and much more, download the Sol App today.
Some of their strengths
Robert A. Millikan has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Intuitive, Creative, Artistic, Passionate, Adventurous, and Generous.
Independent and Brave
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Robert A. Millikan is someone who is an independent, brave, and honest person who approaches life with energy, intuition, passion, and generosity. A person who is known for being fun and creative.
Charming and Sophisticated
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Robert A. Millikan well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.
Ambitious and Forceful
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Robert A. Millikan as someone who is ambitious, hard-working, determined, and intelligent.
A person who has a knack for identifying opportunities, has amazing concentration and focus, who can work independently, who likes starting new things, and who is somewhat of an intellectual.
Charismatic and Playful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Robert A. Millikan is someone who is used to being the center of attention, and who has a playful approach to dealing with life.
They are also someone who is balanced, stable, and energetic, who likes the idea of home and family, and who is very comfortable being the person in charge.
Independent and Dynamic
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Robert A. Millikan tends to be someone who is independent, dynamic, and courageous. Who can be positive, energetic, self-reliant, and adventurous, and who can make friends easily.
Some of Robert A. Millikan's challenges
While Robert A. Millikan has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Robert A. Millikan can be Unrealistic, Short-tempered, Impulsive, Indecisive, Careless, Relentless, and Inflexible.
Short-tempered and Impulsive
One of Robert A. Millikan's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as short-tempered and impulsive.
Relentless and Inflexible
Robert A. Millikan is someone who can be relentless, obsessive, and inflexible, who can be confrontational with work colleagues, can have difficulty communicating feelings and be somewhat reclusive, and who can be self-destructive, overindulgent, and extravagant.
Aggressive and Domineering
Finally, Robert A. Millikan also can be aggressive, impatient, impulsive, and short-tempered.
