Weber WE

Weber, Wilhelm

ACHIEVEMENT(S): Weber's law of electrodynamics: the ratio of the electrostatic unit to the electromagnetic unit is of a constant equal to the velocity of light

NICKNAME/ALIAS: None

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: October 24, 1804, Wittenberg, Germany

DATE/PLACE OF DEATH/AGE AT DEATH: June 23, 1891, Gottingen, Germany. Aged 86

DISCIPLINE: Electrodynamics

FIELD: Physics

LANGUAGE: German

PARENTS: Michael Weber; Mother's name unknown

SIBLINGS: 11, of whom: Ernst Heinrich (anatomist/physiologist); Eduard Friedrich (anatomist)

SPOUSE: None

CHILDREN: None

EDUCATION: University of Halle, Germany

MAJOR WORK: Experimented with a forerunner of the telegraph to determine the earth's electromagnetism; formulated the theory that atoms contain positive charges surrounded by rotating negative particles

LIFE AND TIMES:

At 18, Weber enrolled at the University of Halle. Three years later, he and his brother, EH Weber*, wrote a paper on water and sound waves, which attracted the attention of the scientific world. In 1826, his doctorate thesis on the theory of reed organ pipes attracted more attention and he was invited to Berlin to elaborate on his thesis. Both A. von Humboldt* and Gauss* recognized Weber's brilliance and when a position opened at Gottingen University for a physics teacher, Gauss offered it to Weber.

For six years, Gauss and Weber worked on theories about the earth's magnetism. On the basis of their findings, Gauss wrote his paper "Intensitas vis magneticae terrestris ad mensuram absolutam revocata", which introduced absolute measurements for magnetism. The two scientists also set up the first of what was to become a network of observatories to correlate their measurements.

In 1833, they created a battery-operated telegraph*, 9,000 feet long, between the astronomical observatory at Gottingen and the physics laboratory. They recorded their results in a journal. Initially, most articles were written by Weber and Gauss, but in later issues they included results from other observatories around the world.

In 1836, Weber and his brother collaborated on a paper on physiology and human locomotion. Weber's career appeared to be blossoming, but in 1837, Prince Ernst August succeeded to the Hanoverian throne and revoked the liberal constitution. Weber joined fellow professors in protest and lost his teaching post.

Weber was without a university post for six years, but in 1843, was offered the position of physics professor at the University of Leipzig, to replace his friend Fechner*, who resigned because of ill health.

At Leipzig, Weber made some technical improvements in the field of electricity research. He defined the electromagnetic unit for electric current that was applied to measurements of current made by the deflection of the magnetic needle of a galvanometer. In 1846, he invented the electrodynamometer (for measuring alternating electric current), an improvement on the galvanometer.

In 1849, he developed the mirror galvanometer.

The various revolutionary disturbances of 1848 persuaded Ernst August to ease his restrictions, and in 1849, Weber was allowed to return to Gottingen University. Here, he embarked on the main work of his life. First, he introduced principles for the systematization of electrical units. Then, in 1855, with Kohlrausch, he established, by discharging a condenser through a ballistic galvanometer, that the ratio of the electrostatic unit to the electromagnetic unit is of a constant equal to the velocity of light. This became known as Weber's law, and was of vital use to Maxwell* in his work on the electromagnetic theory of light.

Over the next few years, Weber made a variety of other contributions to the study of electricity. He concluded that electric current consisted of the opposite movements of positive and negative electricity, and was the first to regard electric currents as elemental units of electricity, each with a definite charge and mass.

In 1871, Weber formulated the advanced theory that atoms contain positive charges surrounded by rotating negative particles and that the application of an electric potential to a conductor causes the negative particles to migrate from one atom to another. Later research proved this idea largely correct.

ASSESSMENT: Made a distinguished mark on science with his atomistic conception of electric charge and his vision of the role of such charges in determining the electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties of matter

EXTRA CONNECTIONS: His work related to that of Maury*, Samuel Morse*, Riemann*, Steinheil*, Wheatstone* and Vail*

With the Grimm* bothers, protested the King’s abrogation of the constitution.

Physiologist Kuhne* was a pupil.

Influenced Helmholtz*

Was a pal of Zollner*

ONELINER: WE Weber, who produced a law of electrodynamics

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

DSB