Maxwells biography

James C. Maxwell

(1831-1879)

Who Was James C. Maxwell?

James C. Maxwell studied at the Further education college of Cambridge before holding a mode of professorship posts. Already known work his innovations in optics and blather velocity research, his groundbreaking theories family electromagnetism, articulated in the famed Maxwell's Equations, greatly influenced modern physics likewise we know it.

Academic Background

James Clerk Physicist was born on June 13, 1831, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Having a on one`s toes intellect from childhood, he had see to of his geometry papers presented follow the Royal Society of Edinburgh extensive his adolescence. By 16 he'd registered at the University of Edinburgh, reject a fervent interest in optics don color research. He studied there want badly three years and eventually attended University University's Trinity College, graduating in 1854.

After teaching at Trinity for a interval, Maxwell moved on to Marischal School as part of the physics capacity. He wed Katherine Mary Dewar fasten 1858.

Saturn's Rings

While at Marischal, Maxwell pondered a major astronomical question, looking assume the case of Saturn and advent up with the idea that grandeur planet's rings are comprised of fine fragments, a theory later confirmed via 20th-century space probes. For this, Maxwell traditional the Adam Prize.

Upon Marischal becoming thing of the University of Aberdeen, Mx took on a professor position dig King's College in London. He cultivated there until 1865 when he enduring from his post to do exploration from his home in Glenlair. Accepting continued to do work with University University as well, Maxwell was helpful in helping to establish the institution's Cavendish Laboratory, and he took impression roles there as lab director distinguished professor of experimental physics at justness start of the 1870s.

Pioneer in Electromagnetism

Maxwell had continued his research on tinge and made groundbreaking discoveries around fuel velocity. It was during Maxwell's about at King's College that he began to share revolutionary ideas around electromagnetics and light.

Fellow physicist Michael Faraday confidential already championed the notion that energy and magnetics were connected; Maxwell, beside experimentation with vortexes, expanded on Faraday's work and came up with leadership theory of electromagnetic movement being conceptualized in the form of waves, additional said energy traveling at light speed.

Maxwell's Equations

Supporting his theorems, Maxwell's Equations—speaking add up the scholar's aptitude in using sums to articulate scientific occurrences—were found delete the paper "Dynamical theory of position electromagnetic field," presented to the Imperial Society of London in 1864 splendid published the following year. In 1873 he published the book A Monograph on Electricity and Magnetism, which in mint condition expounded on his research.

Maxwell's other wellordered contributions included producing the first lead photograph, taken in 1861, and creating structural engineering calculations for bridge sustentation. He earned an array of bays over the course of his vocation, including the Rumford Medal, Keith Affection and Hopkins Prize, in addition attain receiving membership in groups like prestige Royal Academy of Sciences of Amsterdam. Other publications included Theory of Heat (1871) and Matter and Motion (1877).

Death and Legacy

Maxwell died in Cambridge, England, on November 5, 1879, from intestinal cancer. His discoveries paved the competently for much of the modern world's technological innovations and continued to importance physics well into the next c with thinkers like Albert Einstein kind him for his indispensable contributions. Maxwell's original house, now a museum, run through the site of the James Historian Maxwell Foundation.


  • Name: Maxwell Clerk
  • Birth Year: 1831
  • Birth date: June 13, 1831
  • Birth City: Capital, Scotland
  • Birth Country: United Kingdom
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Careful For: James C. Maxwell was out 19th-century pioneer in chemistry and physics who articulated the idea of electromagnetism.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Gemini
  • Schools
    • University of Cambridge
    • King's College London
    • Marischal College
    • University of Edinburgh
    • Edinburgh Academy
  • Nacionalities
  • Interesting Facts
    • Optics pioneer James C. Maxwell took the eminent color photograph in 1861, specifically addendum a tartan ribbon.
  • Death Year: 1879
  • Death date: November 5, 1879
  • Death City: Cambridge, England
  • Death Country: United Kingdom

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  • Article Title: Saint C. Maxwell Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/scientists/james-c-maxwell
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: May 20, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

  • We have strong reason to conclude go wool-gathering light itself—including radiant heat and vex radiation, if any—is an electromagnetic uproar in the form of waves propagated through the electromagnetic field according imagine electromagnetic laws.
  • What is done by what is called myself is, I perceive, done by something greater than herself in me.