Johannes Rydberg Biography

The brilliant physicist who devised the Rydberg formula, for predicting the wavelengths of photons, Johannes Rydberg was a Swedish scientist who also gave the world of science many other significant discoveries and formulae. He was a physicist who loved science for the sake of it. He was interested in experimental physics and this often interfered in his career growth. His father had died when he was a small kid and thus he had a difficult childhood embroiled in financial troubles. He was a bright and curious student who performed well at school where he became fascinated with mathematics. He studied mathematics in college where his interest grew to include physics and chemistry. Especially intrigued by the periodic table, he published his first paper on the topic. A dedicated physicist, it was his very love for the subject that prevented him from attaining financial success! He interest in physics was more experimental than theoretical, and thus this impeded his academic career. At one point of time he was forced to work as an accountant in a local bank to supplement his income! But ultimately it was his love for physics that led him to devise the Rydberg formula, and propose the concepts of Rydberg constant and Rydberg atoms.