Enrico Fermi

Enrico Fermi was a scientist known for his work in physics, especially nuclear physics. He was born in Rome, Italy, in 1901. Physics is the study of matter, energy, and how they interact. Fermi became one of the most important scientists of the 1900s because he worked in both theory and experiment. A theory explains how something works, while an experiment tests ideas through careful observation.

As a child, Fermi showed strong ability in mathematics and science. Mathematics is the study of numbers and patterns. After his older brother died, Fermi spent more time reading science books. He entered the University of Pisa at a young age and studied physics. His teachers noticed that he learned very quickly. By his early twenties, Fermi had already published scientific papers. A paper is a written report that explains research findings.

Fermi made major discoveries about atoms. An atom is the smallest unit of matter that keeps the properties of an element. He studied how atoms change when they are hit by small particles called neutrons. Neutrons are parts of atoms that have no electric charge. Fermi discovered that slow neutrons could cause atoms to split more easily. This process is called nuclear fission, which means breaking an atomic nucleus into smaller parts.

In the 1930s, political conditions in Europe became dangerous for many people. Fermi’s wife, Laura, was Jewish, and new laws in Italy limited the rights of Jewish families. After Fermi won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1938, he moved with his family to the United States. The Nobel Prize is an international award given for important scientific achievements.

In the United States, Fermi worked at the University of Chicago. There, he led a team that built the first nuclear reactor in 1942. A nuclear reactor is a system that controls nuclear reactions to release energy safely. This experiment was called Chicago Pile-1. It showed that a controlled nuclear chain reaction was possible. A chain reaction means that one reaction causes another to happen.

Enrico Fermi continued teaching and researching until his death in 1954. He helped train many young scientists. His name is used for scientific units and places, such as the fermi, a unit of length used in nuclear physics. His work shaped modern physics and deepened understanding of atomic energy.