Titre du document / Document title

William Thomson i la Teoria Electromagnètica de la llum de Maxwell : Fonts d'inspiració i actituds de refús = William Thomson and Maxwell's electromagnetic theory of light : inspiration sources and attitudes of rejection

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

PLA BRUNET J. ⁽¹⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Universitat de Vic, Centre d'Estudis d'Història de les Ciències, UAB, ESPAGNE

Résumé / Abstract

This paper centres on the influence of William Thomson (Lord Kelvin, 1824-1907) -the name Kelvin is taken from the Kelvin River, which skirts the University of Glasgow, in Scotland- on the work of James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) concerning electromagnetism. It also hints at the issue of Thomson's attitude of rejection of some parts of Maxwell's theory which he himself had inspired. The most innovating part of Maxwell's work is the introduction of the displacement current concept with the consequent electromagnetic theory of light and the possibility of generating electromagnetic waves. Thomson never came to accept either the displacement current concept or the electromagnetic theory of light. Thomson's rejection was a posteriori, when Maxwell was already died. The scientific importance of Thomson justifies the analysis of his objections to Maxwell's theory of light.

Revue / Journal Title

Llull    ISSN  0210-8615 

Source / Source

1997, vol. 20, n^o39, pp. 637-663 (2 p.3/4)

Langue / Language

Espagnol

Editeur / Publisher

Sociedad Española de Historia de las Ciencias y de las Tecnicas, Madrid, ESPAGNE  (1978) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Physics

;

Electromagnetism

;

Light

;

Theory

;

Maxwell (J. C.)

;

Century 19-20

;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Physique

;

Electromagnétisme

;

Lumière

;

Théorie

;

Maxwell (J. C.)

;

Siècle 19-20

;

Thomson (W.)

;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

FÍsica

;

Electromagnetismo

;

Luz

;

TeorÍa

;

Maxwell (J. C.)

;

Siglo 19-20

;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 24252, 35400007816094.0090