Max Planck
Max Planck, (1858-1947). German physicist. Heoriginated the quantum theory, upon which much of modern physics is based. While investigating black-both, radiation he discovered that energy is emitted by bodies in separate amounts, which he called quanta. The ratio of the energy of a quantum to the frequency of the radiation was named Planck’s constant in his hon. our. He received a Nobel Prize for this work in 1918. Remaining in Germany during the Nazi period, he attempted bravely but unsuccessfully to intercede with Hitler on behalf of Jewish scientists.