Scienceאריה בן נאים

Arieh Ben-Naim

Arieh Ben-Naim is an Israeli professor of physical chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, known for his work on the theory of water, solutions and entropy.

born 1934Theory of water and solutionsHydrophobic interactions researchInformation-based approach to entropy

Born: 11 July 1934, Jerusalem
Occupation: chemist
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Arieh Ben-Naim was born in 1934 in Jerusalem

Arieh Ben-Naim was born in Jerusalem on 11 July 1934 and grew up in the Mekor Baruch neighborhood. His mother came from Turkey, and his father was from an old Jerusalem family.

From 1953 to 1956 he served in the Israeli Air Force as a transport pilot. Avner Treinin, his teacher in high school and at university, drew him to physical chemistry. He began studying chemistry at the Hebrew University in 1957, earned a master's degree in 1961 and a doctorate in 1964 under Gabriel Stein and Shalom Bar.

He taught physical chemistry at the Hebrew University and retired in 2003. His research deals with the structure of water, aqueous solutions and hydrophobic interactions, and he wrote books on these topics and on protein folding.

He promotes the use of information theory in statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. He argues that entropy is not linked to the arrow of time and should not be applied to the universe or to living things. He proposes replacing the word entropy with missing information.

He is married for the second time to Ruby Bataak, a Filipino citizen who converted to Judaism.