Giauque, William Francis (born 12.05.1895) is an American physicist and chemist and a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1936). Born in Niagara Falls (Canada). In 1920 he graduated from the University of California (Berkeley) and worked there as well (professor in 1934–62).
His research was in the field of chemical thermodynamics, spectroscopy, nuclear chemistry, the chemistry of isotopes and low-temperature physics (low-temperature calorimetry, liquefied gases, cryogenic apparatus, low-temperature calibration). He built a helium liquefier. He proposed (1926), independently of P. Debye, the method of adiabatic demagnetisation of paramagnetic substances for reaching temperatures below 1 K (the method of magnetic cooling), and in 1933 he realised it, obtaining a temperature of 0.25 K. He carried out a number of experiments with liquid helium, in particular observing the flow of liquid helium II through a narrow capillary and measuring its viscosity. He discovered (1929) the heavy isotopes of oxygen 17O and 18O. He proved Nernst's theorem experimentally, after which it came to be called the third law of thermodynamics (Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1949).
The J. Gibbs Medal (1951) and the G. Lewis Medal (1956).