William Lawrence Bragg

Biography

Born in Adelaide, Australia. Graduated from the University of Adelaide and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1912, together with his father William Henry Bragg, he developed the method of X-ray diffraction to determine crystal structures. In 1915, at the age of 25, he received the Nobel Prize (jointly with his father). Later he worked in Manchester and Cambridge, heading the Cavendish Laboratory, where under his leadership the structures of proteins were discovered.

Key discoveries

• Bragg's law (nλ = 2d sin θ): fundamental equation linking the wavelength of X-ray radiation, interplanar spacing and diffraction angle — the basis of modern crystallography.
• X-ray structural analysis of carbon: determined the structures of diamond and graphite, proving that diamond is a three-dimensional covalent network, while graphite is layered.
• Decoding protein structures: under his leadership at the Cavendish, the structures of hemoglobin and myoglobin were determined, laying the foundations of molecular biology.