James Maxwell
Accredited to be one of the greatest scientists ever, Scottish physicist James Maxwell was the man who propounded the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation. His discoveries are said to be of the same magnitude in their significance to physics as those of the great scientists Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. He had demonstrated way back in the late 19th century that electric and magnetic fields travel through space as waves. He played a key role in the development of the phenomena which became known as the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. He was one of the earliest of the modern physicists whose research formed the basis for further studies in the fields of special relativity and quantum mechanics. Maxwell had displayed an innate curiosity about the things around him from a young age. His mother encouraged her son’s thirst for knowledge but unfortunately died when he was just eight years old. The little boy grew up to be a bright and intelligent young man whose works would one day greatly influence 20th century physics. Regarded as one of the brightest minds of his time, he also made significant contributions to mathematics, astronomy and engineering. The life of this brilliant scientist was tragically cut short by cancer which claimed him when he was just 48.
Childhood & Early Life
James
Clerk Maxwell was born on 13 June 1831, in Edinburgh, to John Clerk and
Frances Cay. His father was a lawyer and his family was quite well off.
His parents had met and married when they were well into their thirties
and had lost a baby girl in infancy. He was born when his mother was 40
years old.
Major Works
- Maxwell gave the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, which unified electricity, magnetism, and light as manifestations of the same phenomenon. His equations for electromagnetism are considered the "second great unification in physics" after the first one realised by Isaac Newton. The unification of light and electrical phenomena led to the prediction of the existence of radio waves.
- The development of the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution is one of his biggest contributions to physics. This distribution described particle speeds in idealized gases where the particles move freely and have brief collisions with each other.Awards & Achievements
- In 1859, he was awarded Adams Prize of £130 for his essay ‘On the Stability of the motion of Saturn’s rings’.
- He was bestowed with the Royal Society’s Rumford Medal in 1860 for his work of color
Personal Life & Legacy
- He married Katherine Mary Dewar in 1858. His wife, the daughter of a college principal, helped him in his experiments. The couple had no children, and was very devoted towards each other.
- He became ill with abdominal cancer and died on 5 November 1879 at the age of 48. Years ago, his mother had died of the same disease at the same age.
- A mountain range on Venus, Maxwell Montes, is named in his honor as is the Maxwell Gap in the Rings of Saturn.
