Planck, Max Karl Ernst Ludwig (1858–1947)
German physicist whose quantum theory (see Planck
and the origins of quantum theory), with the theory
of relativity, ushered physics into the modern theory. Initially influenced
by Clausius, he made fundamental researches
in thermodynamics before turning
to investigate blackbody radiation. To
describe the electromagnetic radiation emitted
from a blackbody he evolved the Planck radiation formula which implied that
energy, like matter, is not infinitely indivisible
– that it can exist only as quanta
(see Planck constant). Planck himself
was unconvinced of this, even after Einstein
had applied the theory to the photoelectric
effect and Bohr in his model of the atom
(see Bohr atom); but for his achievement
he received the 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics.
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