Svante August Arrhenius

Svante August Arrhenius (Swedish: Svante August Arrhenius, February 19, 1859 - October 2, 1927) was a Swedish chemist. The Arrhenius theory of electrolyte ionization in aqueous solution was proposed, the effect of temperature on the rate of chemical reaction was studied, and the Arrhenius equation was derived. He was awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his outstanding contributions in physical chemistry. Arrhenius was the first to use physical and chemical principles to estimate the extent to which increased atmospheric carbon dioxide contributed to rising Earth surface temperatures. His work was instrumental in the emergence of modern climate science. In the 1960s, Charles David Keeling reliably measured the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, showing that levels were increasing and, according to the greenhouse hypothesis, sufficient to cause severe global warming. The Arrhenius Equation, Arrhenius Acid, Arrhenius Base, Lunar Crater Arrhenius, Mars Arrhenius Crater, Arrhenius Mountain and the Arrhenius Laboratory at Stockholm University are all so named in honor of his contribution to science.