The life and science of Léon Foucault : the man who proved the earth rotates

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The life and science of Léon Foucault : the man who proved the earth rotates

William Tobin

Cambridge University Press, 2003

  • : hardback

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注記

Includes bibliographical references and index

内容説明・目次

内容説明

Leon Foucault's name is synonymous with his famous pendulum experiment, which proved for the first time that the Earth rotated. However, his contributions to science went well beyond his pendulum - the gyroscope; laboratory measurements of the speed of light; the invention of methods to make perfect optical surfaces which have led to today's enormous reflecting telescopes. He also worked as an early photographer and a newspaper journalist; with electricity; and attempted to devise (unsuccessfully) a universal mechanical governor. This blend of the pure and the applied in Foucault's work makes him a fascinating case study of one of the last amateur scientists. This abundantly-illustrated biography will prove to be a fascinating read for anyone interested in Foucault as a pioneer of science. Some knowledge of elementary scientific terms is required, but no detailed knowledge of physics is assumed.

目次

  • Foreword
  • Preface
  • Acknowledgements
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Early years
  • 3. The metallic eye: photography
  • 4. The 'delicious pastime' applied to science
  • 5. The beautiful science of optics
  • 6. Order, precision and clarity: reporter for the Journal des Debats
  • 7. Mixed luck
  • 8. The speed of light I: disproof of the corpuscular theory
  • 9. The rotation of the earth: pendulum and gyroscope
  • 10. Biding time
  • 11. The observatory physicist
  • 12. Perfecting the telescope
  • 13. The speed of light II: the size of the solar system
  • 14. Recognition
  • 15. Control: the quest for fortune
  • 16. Unfinished projects
  • 17. Commentary
  • Colour plates
  • Appendices: A. Maps and chronology
  • B. Extracts from the Journal des Debats
  • C. Photographs and instruments
  • D. Building a Foucault pendulum
  • Notes and references
  • Index.

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