What is Thomas Midgley known for?

What is Thomas Midgley known for?

(May 18, 1889 – November 2, 1944), an American chemist, developed the tetraethyl lead (TEL) additive for gasoline and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and held over a hundred patents.

Who discovered CFC gas?

Dr. Thomas Midgley Jr.
Thomas Midgley Jr.

Dr. Thomas Midgley Jr.
Alma mater Cornell University
Known for Leaded petrol CFCs
Awards William H. Nichols Medal (1922) Longstreth Medal (1925) Perkin Medal (1937) Priestley Medal (1941) Willard Gibbs Award (1942)
Scientific career

What did Midgley invent for refrigerators?


What killed Thomas Midgley Jr?

November 2, 1944
Thomas Midgley Jr./Date of death

What did Mary Midgley believe?

Midgley strongly opposed reductionism and scientism, and argued against any attempt to make science a substitute for the humanities. She wrote extensively about what she thought philosophers can learn from nature, particularly from animals.

Was Thomas Midgley married?

On August ‘A, 1911, Midgley married Miss Carrie M. Rey- nolds of Delaware, Ohio. Two children were born to them, Jane (Mrs. Edward Z.

Who discovered ozone hole?

The discovery of the Antarctic “ozone hole” by British Antarctic Survey scientists Farman, Gardiner and Shanklin (first reported in a paper in Nature in May 1985) came as a shock to the scientific community, because the observed decline in polar ozone was far larger than anyone had anticipated.

What did Midgley invent?

In 1940, Midgley contracted polio and was paralyzed. Ever the inventor, he developed a harness system of ropes and pulleys to help him maneuver and get out of bed. In an ironic twist, his invention strangled him to death on November 2, 1944.

Which country banned chlorofluorocarbons?

China ratified the treaty in 1991. According to CNN, a global ban on the use of CFCs has been in place since 2010.

Who invented putting lead in petrol?

Thomas Midgley
Leaded petrol was safe. Its inventor was sure of it. Facing sceptical reporters at a press conference in October 1924, Thomas Midgley dramatically produced a container of tetraethyl lead – the additive in question – and washed his hands in it.

Is Philippa Foot a utilitarian?

Philippa Foot Attacks Utilitarianism as a moral theory. Utilitarianism is a particular form of Consequentialism, and as such it is radically flawed; depending as it does on a vacuous use of expressions such as ‘best state of affairs.

What did Mary Midgley do?

Mary Beatrice Midgley (née Scrutton; 13 September 1919 – 10 October 2018) was a British philosopher. A senior lecturer in philosophy at Newcastle University, she was known for her work on science, ethics and animal rights. She was awarded honorary doctorates by Durham and Newcastle universities.

Who was Thomas Midgley and what did he do?

Thomas Midgley Jr. (May 18, 1889 – November 2, 1944) was an American mechanical and chemical engineer. He played a major role in developing leaded gasoline (Tetraethyllead) and some of the first chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), better known by its brand name Freon; both products were later banned due to concerns about their…

How did Thomas Midgley come up with the name Freon?

They rejected the assumption that such compounds would be toxic, believing that the stability of the carbon–fluorine bond would be sufficient to prevent the release of hydrogen fluoride or other potential breakdown products. The team eventually synthesized dichlorodifluoromethane, the first chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), which they named ” Freon “.

Why did Thomas Midgley invent the TEL additive?

Oil companies and automobile manufacturers, especially General Motors which owned the patent jointly filed by Kettering and Midgley, promoted the TEL additive as an inexpensive alternative superior to ethanol or ethanol-blended fuels, on which they could make very little profit.

What did Thomas Midgley invent to prevent knocking?

In December 1921, while working under the direction of Charles Kettering at Dayton Research Laboratories, a subsidiary of General Motors, Midgley discovered that the addition of tetraethyllead (TEL) to gasoline prevented “knocking” in internal combustion engines.