RobbyAckles

Physics
RobVetter
Tuesday,October28,2014
JamesClerkMaxwell

JamesClerkMaxwellwasapioneerinmultipleareasofthefieldofphysics,andhis
groundbreakingdiscoveriesstillmakeanimpactonsocietytoday.Oneofthemostwellknown
ideasheresearchedwasintheastronomicalsideofscience,specificallypertainingtoSaturns
rings.MaxwellwasthefirstandoriginalgreatmindtowonderaboutthemakeupofSaturns
rings,andtheirconsistencyoftinyparticles.Thisbreakthroughwouldeventuallyearnhimthe
prestigiousAdamsPrize.AnotherimpactinwhichMaxwellsintelligencehelpedphysics
tremendouslywasthroughhisstudiesonelectromagnetism.Maxwellbelievedthat
electromagneticmovementwasfoundthroughwaves,andthatenergytravelsatthespeedof
light.AllofhisworkisfamouslypresentedinMaxwellsEquations,whichareaseriesof
formulasdetailingelectromagnetismandhowhistheoriescanbedisplayedinastructuresimilar
tomathematics.AnothernotableaccomplishmentMaxwellhadunderhisbeltwascreatingthe
firstcolorphotograph,whichhewasabletoachievebasedonhisworkinthefieldofoptics.
MaxwellwasbornonJune13th,1831inEdinburgh,Scotland.Hisincredibleknowledge
wasalreadyshowcasedinhisearlydays,foroneofhisgeometrypaperswasexhibitedata
meetingoftheRoyalSocietyofEdinburgh.Attheageofsixteen,Maxwellenrolledatthe
UniversityofEdinburgh,andwasinterestedinbothopticsandcolorresearch.Afterstudying
thereforthreeyears,hemovedontoTrinityCollegeofCambridgeUniversity,wherehewould
graduateintheyear1854.Fromthere,MaxwellwouldmakeafinalstopatMarischalCollege,
wherehewouldbecomeapartofthephysicsfacultyattheinstitution.Afewyearslater,he
wouldmarryawomanbythenameofKatherineMaryDewar,andthiswouldleadtohis
prominentcareerinphysics.FollowinghishistoricstudiesonSaturnsrings,Maxwellbecamea
professoratKingsCollegeofLondon,andwouldteachthereuntil1865,whenhedecidedto
performsomeindependentresearchathishomeinGlenlair.Healsobecamereconnectedwith
CambridgeUniversity,wherehewouldbeemployeduntilthe1870s.Forhisindependent
studies,Maxwellexploredtheconceptsofcolorandgasvelocity,andthiswouldinspirehimto
createsomerevolutionarytheoriesaboutelectromagnetism,whichcouldbefoundinMaxwells
Equations.Hisworkwaspresentedtomultipleinstitutionsandscientificorganizationsfromthe
years1864until1873.Themostpopularworkhehadcouldbefoundinapapercalled
Dynamicaltheoryoftheelectromagneticfield.Thiswasdisplayedin1864totheRoyal
SocietyofLondon.Lateroninhiscareer,Maxwellwasawardedwithhonorssuchasthe
HopkinsPrize,theKeithPrize,andtheRumfordMedal.Unfortunately,Maxwellwouldperish
onNovember5th,1879inCambridge,Englandtoabdominalcancer.Whilehemaynotbealive
today,hisworkstillthrivesintheworldofphysics,andMaxwellhasbecomeoneofthemost
recognizablenamesofthe19thcenturyscientists.