Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Luis Walter Alvarez
Luis Walter Alvarez
Reading Comprehension for June 13
Luis Walter Alvarez had no idea that his love of science would lead to the use of the most powerful weapon on Earth. His work in physics led to the detonation of the atom bomb, which both excited and saddened the great physicist.
Luis Walter Alvarez was born on June 13, 1911, in San Francisco, California. He was named after his Spanish grandfather. His heritage is why this scientist is respected by the Hispanic community so much. As a boy, he loved tools, machines, and technology. When he was just eleven years old, he read an article in a magazine about building a radio. A radio was a new-fangled invention at that time, and Luis wanted one of his own. He built one with his father's help.
Luis went to the University of Chicago at age 18. He studied chemistry and mathematics, but he loved physics most of all. He built a device that combined a Geiger counter, a machine that measures radiation, with a telescope. He received his Bachelor's degree in 1934 and went on to receive a Ph. D. He worked in the University of California Radiation Laboratory after he finished his studies.
