Physics in the Nineteenth CenturyPutting physics into the historical context of the Industrial Revolution and the European nation-state, Purrington traces the main figures, including Faraday, Maxwell, Kelvin, and Helmholtz, as well as their interactions, experiments, discoveries, and debates. The success of nineteenth-century physics laid the foundation for quantum theory and relativity in the twentieth. Robert D. Purrington is a professor of physics at Tulane University and coauthor of Frame of the Universe. |
Contents
The Century of Science | 1 |
Electromagnetism | 32 |
Heat and Thermodynamics | 75 |
Energy and the Energy Principle | 102 |
The Kinetic Theory of Gases | 132 |
Fin de Siècle | 148 |
Epilogue | 169 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
aether Ampère Ampère's analogy atomic theory blackbody Boltzmann Brush caloric theory Cardwell Carnot chapter chemical chemistry classical physics Clausius Clausius's Dalton Davy discovery Dynamical Theory Edinburgh Einstein electricity and magnetism electromagnetic Energy and Empire energy conservation entropy equation especially experimental experiments Faraday's field fluid Fourier Gibbs Helmholtz Hermann von Helmholtz Hist History idea important influence J. J. Thomson James Clerk Maxwell John Dalton Joule Joule's kinetic theory Kuhn Laplace Lavoisier lines of force London Manchester mathematical matter Maxwell's mechanical Michael Faraday molecular molecules motion natural philosophy Newton nineteenth century Oersted particles Peter Guthrie Tait phenomena Phil Phys physicists Planck problem published radiation result role Royal Society Scientific Papers scientists second law Smith and Wise specific heats statistical Tait temperature theoretical Theory of Gases theory of heat theory of light tion trans vis viva viva Whewell Wien William Thomson William Whewell wrote