History of Wireless: James Clerk Maxwell

Published on February 26, 2013

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Revolutionary Work in Electromagnetism

James Clerk Maxwell

James Clerk Maxwell (June 13, 1831 –November 5, 1879) was a Scottish theoretical physicist and mathematician. His most prominent achievement was formulating classical electromagnetic theory. This united all previously unrelated observations, experiments and equations of electricity, magnetism and even optics into a consistent theory.

Maxwell’s equations demonstrated the electromagnetic field. Subsequently, all other classical laws or equations of these disciplines became simplified cases of Maxwell's equations. Maxwell's achievements concerning electromagnetism have been called the "second great unification in physics", after the first one realized by Isaac Newton.

Check back for the next post on Nikola Tesla, the "Father of Radio."

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