Lord Kelvin: Science Pioneer
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Saad KhanWilliam Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
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This article is about Lord Kelvin. For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation).
For other people with the same name, see William Thomson.
The Right Honourable
The Lord Kelvin
OM GCVO PC PRS FRSE
President of the Royal Society
In office
1890–1895
Preceded by Sir George Stokes
Succeeded by The Lord Lister
Personal details
Born 26 June 1824
Belfast, Ireland
Died 17 December 1907 (aged 83)
Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland
Nationality British[1][2]
Political party Liberal (1865–1886)
Liberal Unionist (from 1886)
Margaret Crum
Spouse(s)
(m. 1852; died 1870)
Frances Blandy
(m. 1874–1907)
[3]
Children None[4]
Residence Belfast; Glasgow; Cambridge; London
Signature
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Alma mater
Glasgow University
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Known for Joule–Thomson effect
Thomson effect (thermoelectric)
Kelvin balance
Kelvin's balls
Kelvin cat's eye pattern
Kelvin coupling
Kelvin's mirror galvanometer
Kelvin material
Kelvin water dropper
Kelvin wave
Kelvin–Helmholtz instability
Kelvin–Helmholtz mechanism
Kelvin–Helmholtz time scale
Kelvin's minimum energy theorem
Kelvin conjecture
Kelvin functions
Kelvin transform
Kelvin's circulation theorem
Kelvin–Stokes theorem
Kelvin bridge
Kelvin sensing
Kelvin equation
Kelvin–Planck statement
Kelvin-Varley divider
Automatic curb sender
Absolute zero
Cable theory
Dark night sky paradox
Depth sounding
Dissipation
Gyrostat
Law of squares
Heat death paradox
Magnetic vector potential
Magnetoresistance
Piezoresistive effect
Siphon recorder
Stationary phase approximation
Tide-predicting machine
Vortex theory of the atom
Coining the term 'kinetic energy'
Awards First Smith's Prize (1845)
Royal Medal (1856)
Keith Medal (1864)
Matteucci Medal (1876)
Albert Medal (1879)
Copley Medal (1883)
John Fritz Medal (1905)
Scientific career
Institutions University of Glasgow
Academic advisors William Hopkins
Notable students William Edward Ayrton
Influences Sadi Carnot
Rudolf Clausius
Julius von Mayer
James Joule
Humphry Davy
Influenced Andrew Gray
It is believed the "PNP" in his signature stands for "Professor of
Natural Philosophy". Note that Kelvin also wrote under the pseudonym
"P. Q. R."
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, OM, GCVO, PC, PRS, FRSE (26 June 1824 – 17
December 1907)[5] was a British mathematician, mathematical
physicist and engineer born in Belfast.[6] Professor of Natural Philosophy at
the University of Glasgow for 53 years, he did important work in the mathematical
analysis of electricity and formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics,
and did much to unify the emerging discipline of physics in its modern form. He received
the Royal Society's Copley Medal in 1883, was its President 1890–1895, and in 1892
was the first British scientist to be elevated to the House of Lords.[2]
Absolute temperatures are stated in units of kelvin in his honour. While the existence of
a lower limit to temperature (absolute zero) was known prior to his work, Kelvin is
known for determining its correct value as approximately −273.15 degrees Celsius or
−459.67 degrees Fahrenheit. The Joule–Thomson effect is also named in his honour.
He worked closely with mathematics professor Hugh Blackburn in his work. He also had
a career as an electric telegraph engineer and inventor, which propelled him into the
public eye and ensured his wealth, fame and honour. For his work on the transatlantic
telegraph project he was knighted in 1866 by Queen Victoria, becoming Sir William
Thomson. He had extensive maritime interests and was most noted for his work on
the mariner's compass, which previously had limited reliability.
He was ennobled in 1892 in recognition of his achievements in thermodynamics, and of
his opposition to Irish Home Rule,[7][8][9] becoming Baron Kelvin, of Largs in the County of
Ayr. The title refers to the River Kelvin, which flows near his laboratory at the University
of Glasgow's Gilmorehill home at Hillhead. Despite offers of elevated posts from several
world-renowned universities, Kelvin refused to leave Glasgow, remaining until his
eventual retirement from that post in 1899.[5] Active in industrial research and
development, he was recruited around 1899 by George Eastman to serve as vice-
chairman of the board of the British company Kodak Limited, affiliated with Eastman
Kodak.[10] In 1904 he became Chancellor of the University of Glasgow.[5]
His home was the red sandstone mansion Netherhall, in Largs, which he built in the
1870s and where he died. The Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow has a
permanent exhibition on the work of Kelvin including many of his original papers,
instruments, and other artefacts, such as his smoking pipe.
