Book details
Chien-shiung Wu: Phenomenal Physicist (Women in Science)
Description
Chien-shiung Wu was a Chinese-American physicist who made significant contributions to nuclear physics. She worked on the Manhattan Project and is best known for conducting the Wu experiment, which disproved the Law of Conservation of Parity. Wu's research played a crucial role in the development of the field, and she was recognized with numerous awards and honors for her work. Despite facing gender discrimination, she became a role model for women in science. 'Chien-shiung Wu: Phenomenal Physicist' by Jill C. Wheeler likely chronicles her life, her scientific achievements, and her impact on the scientific community. The book delves into Wu's personal story from her childhood in China, where her father encouraged her curiosity in science, through her education at the University of California-Berkeley meeting physics icons like Oppenheimer, Fermi, and Segre, to her secret work on the Manhattan Project and her career as a researcher and professor at Columbia University. It also discusses nuclear physics, beta decay, and the law of parity with engaging text and photos, supplemented by a timeline, glossary, index, and a hands-on science activity inspired by Wu's work. This title is aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards, published by Checkerboard Library, an imprint of Abdo Publishing.
Age
8-12
Text complexity
intermediate
Length
32 pages
Book in series
#3
Why to read
- To gain inspiration from Chien-shiung Wu's groundbreaking contributions to physics, despite the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field.
- To learn about the historical and scientific context of the mid-20th century, which shaped Wu's career and the development of modern physics.
- To understand the significance of Wu's experiments, including her work on the Manhattan Project and her groundbreaking research that led to the development of the Standard Model of particle physics.
- To appreciate the role of women in science and to be motivated by Wu's perseverance and dedication to her research, which paved the way for future generations of scientists.