Scientist

André-Marie Ampère

1775–1836 · Electrodynamics, Magnetism
French physicist and mathematician, one of the founders of electrodynamics. He formulated Ampère's law, linking electric current to magnetic field, and invented the solenoid. The unit of electric current bears his name.

Biography

A self-taught prodigy who showed talent early. Professor in Bourg-en-Bresse, then at the École Polytechnique in Paris. Corresponded with Faraday and Ørsted. Elected to the Academy of Sciences.

Key discoveries

💡 Ampère was so absent-minded that he once forgot about a dinner invitation from Napoleon, which he treasured greatly.
"He advised to listen and watch, because for a wise person all of nature is a teacher."
Concepts
Phase transition
Laws
Ampere's law
Scientists
Steven WeinbergIlya PrigogineLars OnsagerGustav KirchhoffRobert HermanRudolf ClausiusJosiah Willard GibbsRoy Kerr

Related articles

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Right after the Big Bang, space was a hot plasma — a mix of charged particles and light. In such a medium, electric currents couldn't flow on their own: a 'potential difference' was needed to push electrons relative to photons.