Strassmanns

Strassmanns refers to a surname of German origin, used to designate members of the Strassmann family. The name is most closely associated with early 20th-century science, particularly in Germany, where Fritz Strassmann became a prominent figure.

The best-known bearer is Fritz Strassmann (1902–1980), a German chemist who, in collaboration with Otto Hahn, conducted pivotal experiments in the late 1930s that led to the discovery of nuclear fission. In 1938 they bombarded uranium with neutrons and found the production of barium, an unexpected result that indicated the heavy nucleus could split into lighter elements. The interpretation of these results as fission was provided by Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch, who elucidated the mechanism in 1939.

The Strassmann–Hahn experiments had a profound impact on physics and the development of nuclear energy and weapons, triggering further research that culminated in the wartime and postwar atomic programs. Otto Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1944 for the discovery of nuclear fission; Strassmann contributed crucial experimental work but did not share the Nobel Prize.

Beyond Fritz Strassmann, the surname appears in various genealogical or biographical references, reflecting the broader use of Strassmann as a family name in the German-speaking world. The most frequent association in scientific history, however, remains the collaboration between Fritz Strassmann and Hahn and its role in identifying nuclear fission.

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