Arnold Orville Beckman was a famous chemist, inventor and philanthropist from America. With a keen insight and eye for detail, Arnold always had a knack for solving problems. It was in his childhood that he chanced upon a textbook in chemistry and thus began his life-long association with the subject. While still in school, Beckman founded a business venture that analysed the composition of natural gas. While working at the Western Electric Company he gained an in-depth understanding of electronic circuits. He utilised his knowledge of chemistry and electronics to solve many problems in his later life. He developed the world’s first pH meter that was used to measure acidity of a given solution. He then created a device that could calculate the energy of light in visible, infra-red and UV spectrum. He modified the potentiometers used in the pH meter to develop the helipot that could be used in airplanes and ships. The chemist also worked with Californian government in their efforts to mitigate the harmful effects of Los Angeles smog. He was also involved in the Manhattan Project, which created the nuclear bombs. Orville invented the dosimeter which could indicate the levels of exposure to ionizing radiation. The contributions of this inventor to the human race are numerous; read on to know more about his life and works.
