Nikolay Semenov

Facts

Nikolay Nikolaevich Semenov

Photo from the Nobel Foundation archive.

Nikolay Nikolaevich Semenov
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1956

Born: 3 April 1896, Saratov, Russia

Died: 25 September 1986, Moscow, USSR

Affiliation at the time of the award: Institute for Chemical Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, USSR

Prize motivation: "for their researches into the mechanism of chemical reactions."

Prize share: 1/2

Work

During chemical reactions, atoms and molecules regroup and form new constellations. When molecules formed during a reaction readily react with molecules present from the beginning, a chain reaction can occur. Explosions and fire are examples of chain reactions. During the 1930s Nikolay Semenov analyzed conditions and sequences of events involved in chain reactions from a theoretical and mathematical standpoint. Among other things, he found that the theoretical results corresponded with observations of the reactions between phosporus and oxygen and between hydrogen and oxygen.

To cite this section
MLA style: Nikolay Semenov – Facts. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Media AB 2018. Sat. 17 Nov 2018. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1956/semenov/facts/>

Back to top Back To Top Takes users back to the top of the page

Learn more

Nobel Prizes 2018

This year 12 new laureates have been awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. Their work and discoveries range from cancer therapy and laser physics to developing proteins that can solve humankind’s chemical problems. The work of the 2018 Nobel Laureates also included combating war crimes, as well as integrating innovation and climate with economic growth. Find out more.
Nobel prizes burgundy 2018

Explore prizes and laureates

Look for popular awards and laureates in different fields, and discover the history of the Nobel Prize.