Robert jemison van de graaff biography definition us history

Robert Jemison Van de Graaff December 20, — January 16, was an American physicist , noted for his design and construction of high-voltage Van de Graaff generators. The bulk of his career was spent in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Van de graaff generator

His father Adrian was a circuit judge who had been a substitute on Yale University's football team of His father was of Dutch descent. His three older brothers Adrian, Jr. William was known as "Bully" and was Alabama's first All-American. In Tuscaloosa, Robert received his B. During , he earned a second B. Van de Graaff was the inventor of the Van de Graaff generator , a device which produces high voltages.

During , he developed his first such generator, producing 80, volts. By , he had constructed a larger generator generating 7 million volts.