This Week in Physics History: August 18 - 24

Aug. 19, 1662 -

French mathematician, philosopher, & physicist Blaise Pascal dies. Pascal was best known for his mathematical work, especially the formation of Pascal's Triangle (although he was not the first to develop it) as well as work in probability. In physics, Pascal is known for his impassioned defense of the scientific method, studies of fluids, and early work in thermodynamics, most notably pressure and vacuum experiments.

Aug. 23, 1806 -

French physicist Charles Augustin de Coulomb dies. His best-known achievement is the discovery of Coulomb's law for electrostatic force. The SI unit of charge, the coulomb, was named after him.

Aug. 21, 1814 -

Early American physicist and inventor Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, dies. Thompson's work in questioning the orthodox physical theories of the time helped lay the foundation for revolutions in thermodynamics, especially in the realms of specific heats, heat transfers and thermal conducitivity. His views on heat as a form of motion helped lead to the kinetic theory and also the laws of conservation of energy.

Aug. 20, 1961 -

American physicist Percy Williams Bridgman dies. Bridgman won the 1946 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in high-pressure physics. Aug. 21, 1993 - The Mars Observer spacecraft signal is lost by NASA.

Aug. 21, 1995 -

American astrophysicist (born in British India) Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar dies. Chandrasekhar's theoretical work in cosmology and stellar evolution earned him the 1983 Nobel Prize in physics. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory satellite, deployed into space by the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1999, was named in his honor after a contest with 6,000 proposed names.

Aug. 24, 2006 -

The International Astronomical Union comes to the conclusion that they will redefine the term "planet" so that Pluto is no longer a planet

Scientists Create World's Thinnest Balloon

Scientists have developed the world's thinnest balloon that is impermeable to even the smallest gas molecules. Above is a multi-layer graphene membrane that could be used in various applications, including filters and sensors. Credit: Jonathan Alden

The Light and Matter Series

The Light and Matter Series of six books is intended for a introductory course.

Newtonian Physics

http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1book1.html

Conservation Laws

http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1book2.html

Vibrations and Waves

http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1book3.html

Electricity and Magnetism

http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1book4.html

Optics

http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1book5.html

The Modern Revolution in Physics

http://www.lightandmatter.com/area1book6.html

The Light and Matter Series

The Light and Matter series of introductory physics textbooks is designed for the type of one-year survey course taken by biology majors.

Newtonian Physics

Conservation Laws Vibrations and Waves Electricity and Magnetism Optics The Modern Revolution in Physics Simple Nature - engineering physics Conceptual Physics

Student Devises Solar Energy ECG Useful In Developing Countries And Troubled Areas

ScienceDaily (July 24, 2008): Electrotechnology student Felix Adamczyk has devised an ECG machine that runs on solar energy. This especially lends itself to use in developing countries or troubled areas. Adamczyk christened it “Kadiri”, which means “make possible” in the Tanzanian language Kiswahili.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720220017.htm