Ahmed Zewail

Awarded for

Studies of chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy (femtochemistry)

The story behind the prize

Chemical reactions happen extremely fast as bonds break and form. Zewail used laser flashes lasting femtoseconds (a millionth of a billionth of a second) like a camera to watch atoms move during reactions.

About

Chemist who studied in Alexandria and worked at the California Institute of Technology.

Exam facts

• Sole winner of the 1999 Chemistry prize
• Called the 'father of femtochemistry'