William Thomson: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 13:19, 28 September 2023

Biography

WILLIAM THOMSON, first Lord Kelvin, noted British scientist and past-president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, Great Britain, was born in Belfast, Ireland, June 26, 1824. He graduated from St. Peter's College, Cambridge, in 1845, where he won notable honors. At the age of 22, he became professor of natural history at the University of Glasgow, and remained with that institution the rest of his life. He was elected a chancellor of the university in 1904. He was knighted in 1866, as one who had done more than any other scientific man to develop submarine telegraphy. In addition to many inventions in telegraphy, he originated the quadrant electrometer, improvements on the compass, and several other inventions. In 1892, he was made a peer by Queen Victoria, and subsequently received a great many honors. Lord Kelvin made many contributions to fundamental theory of electricity. He had a passion for the investigation of natural phenomena, and had acquired a mastery of mathematics that served him as a valuable instrument of research and partly accounted for his remarkable precision of thought. His participation in the activities of scientific and engineering organizations, long after their power to confer distinction upon him had ceased, deserves emulation. His death occurred December 17, 1907.

Professional Honors

Honorary Member 1892

John Fritz Medalist 1905

Lord Kelvin was elected an Honorary Member of the Institute, May 17, 1892.

Photographs

Lord and Lady Kelvin with GE group, including Albert L. Rohrer, John McGhie, George E. Emmons, Charles Steinmetz, T. Commerford Martin, Jesse Robert Lovejoy, Elihu Thomson, Edwin W. Rice, William B. Potter, Eugene Griffin, Edward M. Hewlett, Lord Brassey (Thomas Allnutt Brassey), Spencer Trask, Edgar A. Carolan, Samuel Dana Greene, Alanson Trask, Joseph P. Ord, George Foster Peabody

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Lord Kelvin
+{{Biography
+|Image=Kelvin Compass 0214.jpg
+|Birthdate=1824/06/26
+|Birthplace=Belfast, Ireland
+|Death date=1907/12/17
+|Awards=John Fritz Medal
+}}
+WILLIAM THOMSON, first Lord Kelvin, noted British scientist and past-president of [[The IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology)|the Institution of Electrical Engineers]], Great Britain, was born in Belfast, Ireland, June 26, 1824. He graduated from St. Peter's College, Cambridge, in 1845, where he won notable honors. At the age of 22, he became professor of natural history at the University of Glasgow, and remained with that institution the rest of his life. He was elected a chancellor of the university in 1904. He was knighted in 1866, as one who had done more than any other scientific man to develop submarine telegraphy. In addition to many inventions in telegraphy, he originated the quadrant electrometer, improvements on the compass, and several other inventions. In 1892, he was made a peer by Queen Victoria, and subsequently received a great many honors. Lord Kelvin made many contributions to fundamental theory of electricity. He had a passion for the investigation of natural phenomena, and had acquired a mastery of mathematics that served him as a valuable instrument of research and partly accounted for his remarkable precision of thought. His participation in the activities of scientific and engineering organizations, long after their power to confer distinction upon him had ceased, deserves emulation. His death occurred December 17, 1907.
-Honorary Member 1892
+==Professional Honors==
+'''Honorary Member 1892'''
-John Fritz Medalist 1905
+'''John Fritz Medalist 1905'''
+Lord Kelvin  was elected an Honorary Member of the Institute, May 17, 1892.
-WILLIAM THOMSON, first Lord Kelvin, the noted British scientist, past-president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, Great Britain, was elected an Honorary Member of the Institute, May  17, 1892. Lord Kelvin was born in Belfast, Ireland, June 25, 1824. He graduated from St. Peter's College, Cambridge, in 1845, where he won notable honors. At the age of 22, he became professor of natural history at the University of Glasgow, and remained with that institution the rest of his life. He was elected a chancellor of the university in 1904. He was knighted in 1866, as one who had done more than any other scientific man to develop submarine telegraphy. In addition to many inventions in telegraphy, he originated the quadrant electrometer, improvements on the compass, and several other inventions. In 1892, he was made a peer by Queen Victoria, and subsequently received a great many honors. Lord Kelvin made many contributions to fundamental theory of electricity. He had a passion for the investigation of natural phenomena, and had acquired a mastery of mathematics that served him as a valuable instrument of research and partly accounted for his remarkable precision of thought. His participation in the activities of scientific and engineering organizations, long after their power to confer distinction upon him had ceased, deserves emulation. His death occurred December  17, 1907.
+== Photographs ==
+<gallery>
+Image:Wm Thomson 0400.jpg
+Image:4231_-_Lord_and_Lady_Kelvin_and_group_at_GE.jpg|Lord and Lady Kelvin with GE group, including [[Albert L. Rohrer]], [[John McGhie]], [[George E. Emmons]], [[Charles Proteus Steinmetz|Charles Steinmetz]], [[T. Commerford Martin]], [[Jesse Robert Lovejoy]], [[Elihu Thomson]], [[Edwin W. Rice, Jr.|Edwin W. Rice]], [[William B. Potter]], [[Eugene Griffin]], [[Edward M. Hewlett]], Lord Brassey (Thomas Allnutt Brassey), Spencer Trask, [[Edgar A. Carolan]], [[Samuel Dana Greene]], Alanson Trask, [[Joseph P. Ord]], George Foster Peabody
+</gallery>
+== Further Reading ==
+[[Archives:Papers of Lord Kelvin|Papers of Lord Kelvin]]
+[[Media:Lord Kelvin biography by Silvanus Thompson.pdf|Biography of Lord Kelvin]], by Silvanus Thompson, 1910
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson}}
 [[Category:Telegraphy]]
 [[Category:Submarine_telegraphy]]
+[[Category:Engineering_fundamentals]]
+[[Category:People_and_organizations]]
+[[Category:Scientists]]
 [[Category:History_&_heritage]]
 [[Category:Prominent_members]]
-[[Category:People_and_organizations]]
-[[Category:Scientists]]
-[[Category:Scientific_tools_and_discoveries]]