James Prescott Joule

Description: (Physicist)

James Prescott Joule was an English physicist, best known for establishing the relationship between mechanical work and heat transfer. This study later led to discovery of the ‘The ‘Law of Conservation of Energy’ which states that ‘Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed; it can only be transferred from one form to another’. He was a creative and confident child, fascinated with heat and electricity from his early years. Most of his knowledge regarding electricity and magnetism was self-taught through which he created a mark for himself in scientific history. After years of research, he designed an experiment which led to the discovery of the first law of thermodynamics, which is still considered one of the major breakthroughs in field of heat transfer study. The S. I. unit for measuring energy, Joule, named after him, highlights the significance of his contribution to physics and its various branches. Along with Lord Kelvin, he also developed the absolute scale of temperature and discovered the Joule-Thomson effect.. Even though he was a man of science, he had a religious and spiritual personality. He had an unparalleled devotion towards nature’s beauty and the laws that govern it.

Overview

Birthday December 24, 1818 (Capricorn)
City Salford, England
Died on October 11, 1889
Spouse/Ex- Amelia Grimes
Parents Benjamin Joule
Alice Prescott Joule
Relatives Benjamin

Did you know

What is James Prescott Joule known for? James Prescott Joule is known for his work in the field of physics, particularly for the discovery of the relationship between mechanical work and heat.
What is the Joule, a unit of energy, named after? The Joule is named after James Prescott Joule, in recognition of his contributions to the field of physics.
What is the Joule's first law also known as? The Joule's first law, which describes the relationship between the flow of current through a resistor and the heat generated, is also known as the Joule heating effect.
What is Joule's experiment with the paddle wheel and water known as? Joule's experiment with the paddle wheel and water, which demonstrated the relationship between mechanical work and heat, is known as the Joule's experiment.
What important principle in thermodynamics did Joule help establish? Joule helped establish the principle of the conservation of energy in thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted.
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