Charles Augustin de Coulomb was a
French physicist best known for developing the law of physics which is
named after him. Coulomb’s law, also known as Coulomb’s inverse-square
law, describes the electrostatic interactions between electrically
charged particles. It was his discoveries and studies during the late
18th century that formed the foundation for the development of the
theory of electromagnetism later on. He made equally important
contributions in the field of friction studies, torsions, applied
mechanics, and magnetism. Born into a wealthy family, he received a good
education and was a very studious and bright student. He graduated from
the Royal Engineering School of Mézières (École royale du génie de
Mézières) and held a number of engineering jobs over the course of his
professional life. He was also interested in research and began to write
papers on applied mechanics. Alongside his engineering career, he
continued his own work on friction and magnetism. Once he was asked to
report on the feasibility of a navigable canal. Through his research he
concluded that the proposed plan was too expensive—this angered the
French bureaucracy and he was penalized. Knowing that he was right, he
felt disappointed with the French government and decided to invest his
efforts in the study of physics instead.
Childhood & Early Life
Charles
Coulomb was born on 14 June 1736, in Angouleme, France, to aristocratic
parents. His father, Henri Coulomb worked as a lawyer, while his mother
Catherine Bajet hailed from a well-established family.
Major Works
He
is best known for developing Coulomb’s law which he first published in
1785. This law which described the electrostatic interaction between
electrically charged particles led to the development of the theory of
electromagnetism.
Awards & Achievements
- His memoir on magnetic compasses earned him a shared first prize in the Paris Académie des Sciences competition in 1777.
- In 1781, he won the first prize at the Académie des Sciences for his work, ‘Theorie des Machines Simples ("Theory of Simple Machines")’ and was elected to the Academie as adjoint mécanicien.Trivia
- His name is included among the 72 names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower.
- The SI unit of electric charge, the coulomb, was named after him.
- The theory of earth pressure and the generalized wedge theory, related to soil mechanics propounded by him still form the basis of engineering practice.
- He is credited with the invention of the torsion balance.
