André-Marie Ampère: Enlightenment and ElectrodynamicsIn this authoritative biography, James Hofmann examines the extraordinary life of André-Marie Ampère, who made original, significant contributions to mathematics and chemistry and is renowned for his new branch of physics - electrodynamics. A member of the Académie des Sciences, and professor at the École Polytechnique, his accomplishments are remarkable in view of his tragic personal life. One of the elite of early nineteenth-century Parisian science, yet having no formal education, he embraced the scientific optimism of the Enlightenment, and the Catholic faith. This combination of intellectual expectation and emotional spirituality made Ampère's genius both destructive and extraordinarily creative. This, the only biography available in the English language, illuminates the scientific contributions of an individual and his epoch, and provides a fascinating insight into the workings of the scientific mind. |
Contents
Idyllic Youth | 9 |
Marriage and Provincial Life 18001804 | 26 |
Paris 18041820 | 99 |
Laplacian Physics | 101 |
Ampere in Paris | 125 |
Metaphysics Ampere Kant and Maine de Biran | 146 |
Mathematics Chemistry and Physics 18041820 | 167 |
Electrodynamics | 227 |
Amperes Response to the Discovery of Electromagnetism 1820 | 229 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Académie Académie des Sciences action addition law Ampère Ampère's Annales de Chimie apparatus applied Arago atomic attraction Ballanche bar magnet became Biot Biot-Savart Biot-Savart law Biot's Bredin calculations calculus of variations caloric Cauchy chemical chemise chemistry claimed classification Collège de France components conducting wire CORR Coulomb current elements derivation differential direct analysis discovery distance early École Polytechnique effect electric currents electric fluid électro-dynamiques electrodynamic forces equations equilibrium demonstration ether example experiment experimental fact fluid particles force law Fresnel function fundamental forces helices hypothesis Ibid included indirect synthesis induction initial integral interest inverse square Jean-Jacques Jean-Jacques Ampère Julie Julie's Lagrange Lagrange's Laplace Laplacian Lavoisier loop Lyon magnetic elements magnetic fluid Maine de Biran mathematical memoir mobile conductor molecular molecules noted noumenal observed Paris partial differential equation phenomena physics Physique plane Poisson's Poleymieux position procedure produced published repulsion rotation Savary sciences scientific Société surface theoretical tion