Paul Dirac

Summary

Paul Dirac is a human^[1]. His place of birth was Bristol^[2]. He passed away in Tallahassee^[3]. He worked as a mathematician^[4], theoretical physicist^[5], professor^[6], physicist^[7], and scientist^[8]. He ranks in the top 0.57% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,884 views/month, #5,688 of 1,000,298).^[9]

Key Facts

• Paul Dirac was born in Bristol^[2].
• Paul Dirac passed away in Tallahassee^[3].
• Burial took place at Roselawn Cemetery^[10].
• Paul Dirac's father was Charles Dirac^[11].
• Among Paul Dirac's spouses was Margit Dirac^[12].
• Paul Dirac held citizenship in United Kingdom^[13].
• Paul Dirac held citizenship in Switzerland^[14].
• French was Paul Dirac's native language^[15].
• Paul Dirac worked as a mathematician^[4].
• Paul Dirac worked as a theoretical physicist^[5].
• Paul Dirac worked as a professor^[6].
• Paul Dirac's professions included physicist^[7].
• Paul Dirac's professions included scientist^[8].
• Paul Dirac worked as an academic^[16].
• Paul Dirac's field of work was theoretical physics^[17].
• Paul Dirac's field of work was mathematics^[18].
• Paul Dirac's field of work was quantum mechanics^[19].
• Paul Dirac's field of work was quantum electrodynamics^[20].
• Paul Dirac held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics^[21].
• Paul Dirac was employed by University of Miami^[22].
• Among Paul Dirac's employers was Florida State University^[23].
• Paul Dirac was employed by University of Cambridge^[24].
• Among Paul Dirac's employers was St John's College^[25].
• Paul Dirac's education included a stint at University of Bristol^[26].
• Paul Dirac was educated at University of Cambridge^[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Born in Bristol^[2], Paul Dirac… his father was Charles Dirac^[11]. French was his native language^[15].

Education

Educated at University of Bristol^[26], a public university^[28], in United Kingdom^[29], founded in 1909^[30], headquartered in Bristol^[31]; University of Cambridge^[27], a collegiate university^[32], in United Kingdom^[33], founded in 1209^[34], headquartered in Cambridge^[35]; and Cotham School^[36], a secondary school^[37], in United Kingdom^[38], founded in 2011^[39]. Paul Dirac's doctoral advisor was Ralph H. Fowler^[40].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician^[4], theoretical physicist^[5], professor^[6], physicist^[7], scientist^[8], and academic^[16]. Fields of work include theoretical physics^[17], a branch of physics^[41]; mathematics^[18], an academic discipline^[42]; quantum mechanics^[19], a physical theory^[43]; and quantum electrodynamics^[20], a branch of physics^[44], founded in 1927^[45]. Employers include University of Miami^[22], a university^[46], in United States^[47], founded in 1925^[48], headquartered in Coral Gables^[49]; Florida State University^[23], a public university^[50], in United States^[51], founded in 1851^[52]; University of Cambridge^[24], a collegiate university^[53], in United Kingdom^[54], founded in 1209^[55], headquartered in Cambridge^[56]; and St John's College^[25], a college of the University of Cambridge^[57], in United Kingdom^[58], founded in 1511^[59]. Paul Dirac held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics^[21]. Doctoral students include Homi Jehangir Bhabha^[60], Fred Hoyle^[61], Dennis W. Sciama^[62], John Polkinghorne^[63], Richard John Eden^[64], and Andrew Lees^[65].

Recognition

Awards received include Nobel Prize in Physics^[66], a physics award^[67], in Sweden^[68], founded in 1901^[69]; Fellow of the Royal Society^[70], a fellowship award^[71], in United Kingdom^[72]; Copley Medal^[73], a medallion^[74], in United Kingdom^[75], founded in 1731^[76]; Royal Medal^[77]; Max Planck Medal^[78]; and Helmholtz Medal^[79].

Personal Life

Paul Dirac was married to Margit Dirac^[12]. His religion is recorded as deism^[80].

Death and Burial

Paul Dirac died in Tallahassee^[3]. He is buried at Roselawn Cemetery^[10].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Paul Dirac include Dirac delta function^[81], Dirac equation^[82], bra–ket notation^[83], Gamma matrices^[84], Fermi–Dirac statistics^[85], Dirac spinor^[86], Dirac sea^[87], and ICTP Dirac Medal^[88].

Why It Matters

Paul Dirac ranks in the top 0.57% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,884 views/month, #5,688 of 1,000,298).^[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.^[89] He is known by 99 alternative names across languages and contexts.^[90]

He has been cited as an influence by Richard Feynman^[91], a physicist^[92], 1918–1988^[93], of United States^[94], awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics^[95], specialised in quantum electrodynamics^[96]; Stephen Hawking^[97], a theoretical physicist^[98], 1942–2018^[99], of United Kingdom^[100], awarded the Albert Einstein Medal^[101], specialised in general relativity^[102]; Abdus Salam^[103], a university teacher^[104], 1926–1996^[105], of British Raj^[106], awarded the Atoms for Peace Award^[107], specialised in quantum field theory^[108]; Robert H. Dicke^[109], an astronomer^[110], 1916–1997^[111], of United States^[112], awarded the Elliott Cresson Medal^[113]; and Cyril Domb^[114], a physicist^[115], 1920–2012^[116], of United Kingdom^[117], awarded the Fellow of the Royal Society^[118], specialised in theoretical physics^[119].

He is credited with the discovery of quantum electrodynamics^[120], a branch of physics^[121], founded in 1927^[122]; Dirac equation^[123], a relativistic wave equation^[124]; Dirac spinor^[125]; and Dirac large numbers hypothesis^[126], a scientific hypothesis^[127]. Entities named for him include Dirac delta function^[81], Dirac equation^[82], bra–ket notation^[83], Gamma matrices^[84], Fermi–Dirac statistics^[85], and Dirac spinor^[86].

His notable doctoral advisees include Homi Jehangir Bhabha^[128], Dennis W. Sciama^[129], Fred Hoyle^[130], John Polkinghorne^[131], and Harish-Chandra^[132].

FAQs

Where was Paul Dirac born?

Paul Dirac's place of birth was Bristol^[2].

Where did Paul Dirac die?

Paul Dirac passed away in Tallahassee^[3].

Who were Paul Dirac's parents?

Paul Dirac's father was Charles Dirac^[11].

Who was Paul Dirac married to?

Paul Dirac's spouses include Margit Dirac^[12].

What did Paul Dirac do for work?

Paul Dirac worked as mathematician^[4], theoretical physicist^[5], professor^[6], physicist^[7], and scientist^[8].

Where did Paul Dirac go to school?

Paul Dirac was educated at University of Bristol^[26], University of Cambridge^[27], and Cotham School^[36].

What awards did Paul Dirac receive?

Honors received include Nobel Prize in Physics^[66], Fellow of the Royal Society^[70], Copley Medal^[73], and Royal Medal^[77].

Who did Paul Dirac influence?

Paul Dirac has been cited as an influence by Richard Feynman^[91], Stephen Hawking^[97], Abdus Salam^[103], and Robert H. Dicke^[109].

What did Paul Dirac discover?

Paul Dirac is credited as discoverer of quantum electrodynamics^[120], Dirac equation^[123], Dirac spinor^[125], and Dirac large numbers hypothesis^[126].