Method Making Direct Comparison Electrostatic by Maxwell James Clerk (4 results)

SOFTCOVER. Condition: Fine. No Jacket. 1st Edition. First edition of Maxwell's landmark paper giving experimental proof that light is an electromagnetic wave and a method for calculating its velocity. Sewn pages 643-657 (page 658 numbered but otherwise blank) from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Vol. 158. Quarto 30 x 23 cm in stiff paper wrappers, housed in an attractive custom made cream linen covered archival folder . [CONDITION: Some very slight foxing to the top edge of the title-page but otherwise a FINE unmarked and very clean copy in an as new folder ] . . . NOTE: Depending on destination this item may require an extra payment for insurance. If so, orders made by card will be completed only after you have approved any such extra cost. . We always ship in STRONG PROTECTIVE CARD PARCELS.

Original wrappers. Condition: Very Good. First edition offprint. FIRST EDITION, THE EXTREMELY RARE OFFPRINT, OF THE LAST OF MAXWELL'S FIVE IMPORTANT PAPERS ON THE FOUNDATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1855 AND 1868. WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY PROVENANCE: THIS COPY FROM THE ESTEEMED CAVENDISH LABORATORY, FOUNDED IN 1874 WITH MAXWELL AS ITS FIRST DIRECTOR. In "On a Method of Making a Direct Comparison of Electrostatic with Electromagnetic Force", Maxwell finally gives experimental proof that light consists of electromagnetic waves, which he had postulated in his fourth paper, the epoch-making "A dynamical theory of the electromagnetic field" (1865). "[Michael] Faraday (1791-1867) had abandoned the notion of 'action at a distance' for the concept of the 'fields of force' surrounding bodies by which they act upon one another electromagnetically . Clerk Maxwell (1831-79), who may well be judged the greatest theoretical physicist of the nineteenth century, was happy to acknowledge his debt to Faraday; for what he did was to construct the mathematical theory of the field . the developed field-theory, expressed in twenty equations, was purely and elegantly mathematical" (PMM 355). In the "Note on the Electromagnetic Theory of Light" [the second paper included here], Maxwell greatly simplifies the 20 equations from the 1865 paper, into four theorems, roughly equivalent to the four fundamental Maxwell equations we know today: "When in 1868 Maxwell published the results of his new measurement of the ratio c of the electromagnetic to the electrostatic charge unit, he restated the electromagnetic theory of light 'in the simplest form, deducing it from admitted facts, and shewing the connection between the experiments already described [for the measurement of c] and those which determine the velocity of light.' The 'admitted facts' were Oersted's electromagnetism, Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, and Faraday's doctrine of polarization. From them Maxwell extracted four simple 'theorems' expressing in words the integrals of the magnetic and electric intensities on closed curves, the relation between electric intensity and displacement, and the displacement current." (Oliver Darrigol, "Electrodynamics from Ampere to Einstein"). In "A dynamical theory" Maxwell showed that electromagnetic waves should propagate with a speed equal to the ratio of the electrostatic and electromagnetic units of charge. To prove his postulate on the nature of light, it was therefore necessary to accurately measure this ratio and compare it with direct measurements of the speed of light. Maxwell describes this experiment and its results in the first part of the present paper: he finds that the ratio is about 3% below the speed of light according to a recent measurement by the French physicist Là on Foucault (1819-68). The second part of the paper gives a simplified formulation of the equations describing the electromagnetic field. In "A dynamical theory" "Maxwell remarked that the equations might be condensed, but "to eliminate a quantity which expresses a useful idea would be rather a loss than a gain in this stage of our enquiry." He had in fact simplified the equations in his fifth major paper, the short but important "Note on the electromagnetic theory of light" (1868), writing them in integral form, based on four postulates derived from electrical experiments. This may be called the electrical formulation of the theory, in contrast with the original dynamical formulation. It was later independently developed by Heaviside and Hertz and passed into the textbooks. It has the advantage of compactness and symmetry" (Everitt, pp. 108-9). "Maxwell's 1868 paper was of considerable historical importance, for it set forward his theory in the simple form in which it was taken up and developed by others" (Hendry, p. 226). Provenance: With stamps from the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge. "The Cavendish Laboratory has an extraordinary history of discovery and innovation in Physics since its opening in 1874 under the direction of James Clerk Maxwell, the University's first Cavendish Professor of Experimental Physics. Since its foundation, the Laboratory has had great fortune in appointing Cavendish professors who, between them, have changed completely our understanding of the physical world. Maxwell did not live to see his theories of electricity, magnetism and statistical physics fully confirmed by experiment, but his practical legacy was the design and equipping of the new Laboratory. Maxwell died in 1879 at the early age of 48 and was succeeded by Lord Rayleigh, who was responsible for setting up a systematic course of instruction in experimental physics, which has remained at the core of the Laboratory's teaching programme. "JJ Thomson succeeded Rayleigh in 1884 and began the revolution in physics which was to lead to the discovery of quantum mechanics in the 1920s. During Thomson's long tenure, the University allowed students from outside Cambridge to study for the new degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1895. Among the first generation of physics graduate students were Ernest Rutherford and Charles Wilson, who, along with JJ Thomson, were to win Nobel prizes for their researches. The discovery of the electron by Thomson, the invention of the Cloud chamber by Wilson, the discovery of artificial nuclear fission by Rutherford are examples of the extraordinary advances in experimental technique which ushered in what became known as modern physics" ("The History of the Cavendish", University of Cambridge website). Note: We are not aware of any other copy of this offprint having appeared in commerce. OCLC lists only six copies (Burndy, Huntington, MIT and Stanford in the US; King's College, London and Manchester in the UK). London: Taylor & Francis, 1868. Quarto (295 x 231 mm), pp. 643-657 [1:blank, and thus offprint - the journal version has another paper begining on this page], two gatherings sewn, as issued, in the original green blank wrappers; custom silk box. Spine strip a.

Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. [one of Maxwell's major Papers on Electromagnetic Theory]In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London for the Year 1868, Volume 158, Part II. pp. 643-657. (Received June 10,--Read June 18, 1868). London: Royal Society of London, 1868. Fine Extract in modern blue wrappers with printed paper label on the front cover. 4to. 643-657 pp. Paperback. Fine.Fenwick James Clerk Maxwell Bibliographical Catalogue:B.52In1865.Maxwell's next step after completing the dynamical analogy was to develop a group of eight equations describing the electromagnetic field.Maxwell remarked that the equations might be condensed, but "to eliminate a quantity which expresses a useful idea would be rather a loss than a gain in this stage of the enquiry". He had, in fact, simplified the equations in his fifth major paper, the short but important "Note on the Electromagnetic Theory of Light", writing them in an integral form without the function A, based on four postulates from electrical experiments. (DSB vol. pp 211-212).James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1875) was regarded as the leading theoretical physicist of the nineteenth century. He was appointed as the first professor of experimental physics at Cambridge (1871) and organized the Cavendish Laboratory. He published his magnum opus "Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism" in 1873. This provided the mathematical structure to Faraday's theory of electrical and magnetic forces. He also made notable contributions to color theory and the kinetic theory of gases/// DW ////Ask for pictures.

First edition. EXPERIMENTAL PROOF THAT LIGHT IS ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES. First edition, journal issue in the original printed wrappers, of the last of Maxwell?s five important papers on the foundations of electromagnetic theory published between 1855 and 1868, here accompanied by the Abstract of the paper published at least six months earlier. In this paper Maxwell finally gives experimental proof that light consists of electromagnetic waves, which he had postulated in his fourth paper, the epoch-making ?A dynamical theory of the electromagnetic field? (1865). ?[Michael] Faraday (1791-1867) had abandoned the notion of ?action at a distance? for the concept of the ?fields of force? surrounding bodies by which they act upon one another electromagnetically ? Clerk Maxwell (1831-79), who may well be judged the greatest theoretical physicist of the nineteenth century, was happy to acknowledge his debt to Faraday; for what he did was to construct the mathematical theory of the field ? the developed field-theory, expressed in twenty equations, was purely and elegantly mathematical? (PMM 355). In the present paper, Maxwell casts the equations describing the electromagnetic field in the simplified form we now know as ?Maxwell?s equations?: these four equations replaced the twenty in ?A dynamical theory.? In ?A dynamical theory? Maxwell showed that electromagnetic waves should propagate with a speed equal to the ratio of the electrostatic and electromagnetic units of charge. To prove his postulate on the nature of light, it was therefore necessary to accurately measure this ratio and compare it with direct measurements of the speed of light. Maxwell describes this experiment and its results in the first part of the present paper: he finds that the ratio is about 3% below the speed of light according to a recent measurement by the French physicist L?on Foucault (1819-68). The second part of the paper gives a simplified formulation of the equations describing the electromagnetic field. In ?A dynamical theory? ?Maxwell remarked that the equations might be condensed, but ?to eliminate a quantity which expresses a useful idea would be rather a loss than a gain in this stage of our enquiry.? He had in fact simplified the equations in his fifth major paper, the short but important ?Note on the electromagnetic theory of light? (1868), writing them in integral form, based on four postulates derived from electrical experiments. This may be called the electrical formulation of the theory, in contrast with the original dynamical formulation. It was later independently developed by Heaviside and Hertz and passed into the textbooks. It has the advantage of compactness and symmetry? (Everitt, pp. 108-9). ?Maxwell?s 1868 paper was of considerable historical importance, for it set forward his theory in the simple form in which it was taken up and developed by others? (Hendry, p. 226). Although that volume of the Phil. Trans. is 'for 1868', it is dated 1869 on the title page, so the present Abstract was published at least six months earlier than the Phil. Trans. article. ?In 1861 the British Association formed a committee under [William] Thomson?s (1824-1907) chairmanship to determine a set of internationally acceptable electrical standards following the work of [Wilhelm] Weber (1804-91). At Thomson?s urging, a new absolute system of units was adopted, similar to Weber?s, but based on energy principles rather than on a hypothetical electrodynamic force law. The first experiment was on the standard of resistance, and in 1862 Maxwell was appointed to the committee to help with that task? (DSB). ?The work of the British Association?s committee on electrical standards had not stopped with the production of a standard of resistance. The next task on their agenda stemmed from James? [i.e., Maxwell?s] prediction of electromagnetic waves which travelled at a speed equal to the ratio of the electromagnetic and electrostatic units of charge ? earlier measurements of this ratio by [Rudolph] Kohlrausch (1809-58) and Weber, once converted to the appropriate units, were very close to [Hippolyte] Fizeau?s (1819-96) measurement of the speed of light, thus supporting James? theory that light itself was composed of electromagnetic waves. This result was so important that the evidence needed to be checked: a new experiment was urgently needed to corroborate Kohlrausch and Weber?s results. It would be a difficult experiment and at best the range of possible error would be a few percent, but it had to be done. ?This time James? chief collaborator was Charles Hockin (1840-82), of St. John?s College, Cambridge. They decided to try to balance the electrostatic attraction between two charged metal plates against the magnetic repulsion between two current-carrying coils, and built a balance arm apparatus to do this. For this method to work they needed a very high voltage source. The biggest batteries in Britain were owned by a Clapham wine merchant, John Peter Gassiot (1797-1877), who had acquired them for his private laboratory. Gassiot was delighted to act as host for the experiment and furnished his guests with a battery of 2600 cells, giving about 3000 volts. ?James arranged to do the experiment during his 1868 spring visit to London [he was at this time based at his family seat, Glenlair]. First they had to take precautions to stop electricity leaking from the great battery through the laboratory floor. Then they had to become expert at taking readings at speed because the batteries ran down so quickly. When these problems had been overcome, the experiment gave a value for the ratio of the two units of charge, and hence for the speed of James? waves, of 288,000 kilometres per second. ?This was about 7% below the value which Kohlrausch and Weber had obtained for the electromagnetic/electrostatic units ratio and 8% below the speed of light as measured by Fizeau. And it was 3% below a new measurement of the speed of light by Fizeau?s compatriot Foucault.