Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald was born on 2 September 1853 in Riga. He was an excellent chemist and philosopher. In 1909 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contributions to the study of catalysis, chemical equilibrium and reaction rate. It has made a significant contribution to each of these areas. Already as a child Ostwald was interested in science and conducted experiments at home, mainly related to fireworks and photography.
Ostwald was deeply interested in chemical affinities and the reactions that result in the formation of chemical compounds. This was then the most important theoretical question in chemistry.
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As part of his early work, Ostwald developed a three-dimensional affinity table that took into account the influence of temperature and the affinity constants of acids and bases. Ostwald also studied the effects of masses, electrochemistry and chemical dynamics. Ostwald discovered that the concentration of acid or base in the solution of certain chemical reagents can significantly affect the rate of chemical processes.
During his academic career, Ostwald had many students who became outstanding scientists. Among them were future Nobel Prize winners Svante Arrhenius, Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff and Walther Nernst.
After retiring in 1906, Ostwald studied philosophy, politics and other humanities until his death on 4 April 1932.
