Gustav Hertz

Gustav Hertz was a German physicist known for his contributions to the field of quantum physics. Born in 1887, he is best remembered for the Hertz experiment, conducted with James Franck in 1925. This experiment demonstrated how electrons can be emitted from a surface when struck by light, supporting the idea that light has both wave and particle properties. Their work earned them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1925. Hertz's research significantly advanced our understanding of electron behavior and helped shape modern atomic theory, marking a vital step in the development of quantum mechanics.