Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Chemistry I Honors
28 October 2009
Physicist, natural philosopher, and mathematician: what more can a regular man be? Not
André-Marie Ampère. André is a well renowned chemist who made numerous contributions to
the scientific community of modern day. He was natural of Lyon, France, and was born on
January 22, 1775. In addition, he is attributed with many discoveries and developments in the
field of electrodynamics. Ampère led a life full of discoveries and intellectual stimulation that
Of his many inventions, he is most known for his innovative creation—the astatic needle
which is a “a critical component of the modern astatis galvanometer” and also demonstrating that
magnetic fields are produced when “two parallel wires are charged with electricity,” (National
The chemist’s personal life was full of great moments as well as disillusionments. As a
result of the French Revolution, Ampère lost his father, who was beheaded 1793. This “sudden
loss” as anyone could imagine “was a terrible shock to” him; therefore, his studies ceased for a
while, although he later resumed them. Gladly, in 1799 he married Julie Carron who bore his son
Jean-Jacques Ampère.
In regards to his scholar life, Ampère taught mathematics in Bourg. Despite this, he
continued his research in chemistry and physics. Later, he argued about the “nature of light”
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favoring the idea that it traveled in wave form. He also put forth the idea “fluorine, [unknown at
the time] was combined with hydrogen in an acid that had first been discovered by Swedish
chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele.” André Marie Ampere’s “mathematical endeavors with partial
differential equations,” (Magnet Lab), granted him access to the National Institute of Sciences in
1814 which is an honor which allowed him to make known his ideas and works.
community, kept on escalating as his theories began to fall into place. After Danish scientist
Hans Christian Ørsted coincidentally discovered that the current in a wire can affect the
orientation of a magnetized needle, Ampère interest in the field hiked leading to “significant
contributions [by him] in the nascent field of electromagnetics,” (National High Magnetic Field
Laboratory).
Ampère’s “most significant scholarly paper on the subject of electricity and magnetism”
Regrettably, Ampère died June 10, 1836 in Marseilles, France. He was buried in the Montmartre
Cemetery in Paris. In honor of his accomplishments and legacy, the ampere–the unit for
measuring electric current–was named after him, and thus, “inspiring research and discoveries”
He was also an illustrious chemist who made numerous contributions to the scientific community
and natural of Lyon, France. He contributed a copious amount of discoveries and developments
while leading a sad, yet full life of discoveries and intellectual stimulation that many could never
Works Cited
Magnet Lab. "André-Marie Ampère (1775-1836)." National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
<http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/tutorials/pioneers/ampere.html>.
<http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/magnet_university/andre_marie_ampere.htm>.
< http://dictionary.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/electromagnetism>