Editing Johannes Nicolaus Brønsted (section)

== Research ==
Early in his career, Brønsted studied [[chemical thermodynamics]] and later studied [[electrolyte]] solutions and carried out an extensive series of solubility measurements. These measurements led him to establish general laws which were later confirmed when the [[Debye–Hückel theory]] was proposed.<ref name="bell-nature">{{cite journal | authorlink= Ronnie Bell (chemist)|last1=Bell |first1=R. P. |title=Prof. J. N. BrØnsted |journal=Nature |date=February 1948 |volume=161 |issue=4086|page=269 |doi=10.1038/161269a0|bibcode=1948Natur.161..269B |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="bell-lecture">{{cite journal | authorlink= Ronnie Bell (chemist) |last1=Bell |first1=R. P. |title=The Brönsted memorial lecture |journal=J. Chem. Soc. |date=1950 |pages=409–419 | doi=10.1039/JR9500000409}}</ref>

Brønsted is best known for his work on [[Chemical kinetics|reaction kinetics]], in particular [[acid–base reaction]]s. In 1923, he recognized that acid–base reactions involved the transfer of a proton, from the [[acid]] (proton donor) to the [[Base (chemistry)|base]] (proton acceptor).<ref>{{cite journal | authorlink= Johannes Nicolaus Brønsted|last1=Brönsted |first1=J. N. |title=Einige Bemerkungen über den Begriff der Säuren und Basen (Some observations about the concept of acids and bases) |journal=Recueil des Travaux Chimiques des Pays-Bas |date=1923 |volume=42 |issue=8 |pages=718–728 |doi=10.1002/recl.19230420815}}</ref> Almost simultaneously and independently, the British chemist [[Martin Lowry]] arrived at the same conclusion, thus the name [[Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory]].<ref>{{cite journal |  authorlink= Martin Lowry |last1=Lowry |first1=T. M. |title=The uniqueness of hydrogen |journal=Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry |date=19 January 1923 |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=43–47 |doi=10.1002/jctb.5000420302 |url=https://archive.org/stream/ost-chemistry-chemistryindustr01soci/chemistryindustr01soci#page/n65/mode/2up}}</ref> Also in 1923, [[Gilbert N. Lewis]] proposed an [[electron]]ic theory of acid–base reactions, but both theories remain commonly used.<ref name=britannica/>

Later in his career, Brønsted kept studying reaction kinetics, with a special focus on reactions taking place in [[Aqueous solution#non-aqueous solution|non-aqueous solutions]]. He also developed some work about the effect of molecular size on the thermodynamical properties of hydrocarbons, polymers and colloids.<ref name=bell-nature/> He also worked with the Nobel prize winner [[George de Hevesy]] on [[isotope separation]] by fractional distillation.<ref>{{cite journal | author1-link = Johannes Nicolaus Brønsted |last1=Brønsted |first1=J. N. | author2-link = George de Hevesy |last2=Hevesy |first2=G. |title=The Separation of the Isotopes of Mercury |journal=Nature |date=September 1920 |volume=106 |issue=2657 |pages=144 |doi=10.1038/106144c0|bibcode=1920Natur.106Q.144B |doi-access=free }}</ref>