| Citation | Professor and Director of Physics, University of Toronto
In 1903-4, he worked with J C McLennan on atmospheric electricity and radio-activity of metals. His most notable and individual research work has been in connection with colloidal particles and solutions. He has published seventeen papers on this subject, and written "The Physical Properties of Colloidal Solutions" (Longhmans, Green & Co.), which was published in 1916 and will reach its third edittion in 1937.
Since 1934, Burton and his co-workers have used successfully the hydrogen and helium liquefaction plant in his laboratory to investigate the superconductivity of thin films, and the relation between superconductivity and magnetic fields, induced or otherwise. In connection with this work, a completely supercoducting galvanometer was devised and employed.
With others he has worked on a new method of conductivity measurement by means of an oscillating valve circuit and its application to the measure of moisture in wheat, etc.; the viscosity of hellium I and II; the slowing down of neutrons by protons; crystal structure of ice at low temperature.
He is an experienced teacher and has published with C H Chant a text-book of College Physics. Moreover he has succeeded well in the difficult task of following Sir John McLennan as Director of the fine Physics Laboratory at the University of Toronto. |