Paul Friedr. Wilhelm Balmer Paintings

Johann Jakob Balmer, known as Johann Balmer, was a Swiss mathematician and physicist born on May 1, 1825, in Lausen, Switzerland. While not a professional artist, Balmer is best known for his work in physics, particularly the Balmer series in atomic physics. He studied at the University of Basel and received his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1849. Balmer was a secondary school teacher in Basel and spent much of his life in academic and educational pursuits.

Balmer's most significant contribution to science was his empirical formula to predict the spectral lines of hydrogen, which he discovered in 1885. This formula, now known as the Balmer series, indicates the wavelengths of the visible spectral lines of hydrogen. His work laid the groundwork for the Bohr model of the atom and the further development of quantum mechanics. Balmer's formula was later generalized to what is now known as the Rydberg formula.

Despite his major contributions to physics, Balmer did not work as a scientist full-time. His discovery was made late in his life when he was already in his 60s. His interest in spectral lines was somewhat of a side project, as his primary occupation was teaching. Balmer's work is an excellent example of the significant contributions that can be made by researchers operating outside of the traditional scientific institutions.

Johann Balmer passed away on March 12, 1898, in Basel, Switzerland. His legacy is preserved in the continued use of his work in the field of spectroscopy and atomic physics, and the term 'Balmer series' is still used today to describe the specific spectral line emissions of hydrogen that he first identified.