DocumentCode
789839
Title
Maxwell´s grand unification
Author
Nahin, Paul J.
Author_Institution
New Hampshire Univ., Durham, NH, USA
Volume
29
Issue
3
fYear
1992
fDate
3/1/1992 12:00:00 AM
Firstpage
45
Abstract
The development of James Clerk Maxwell´s theories on electromagnetism is briefly sketched. By showing that the science of light and optics is merely a branch of electromagnetism, Maxwell achieved the second great unification in physics (the first being Newton´s unification of terrestrial and celestial mechanics). The correctness of Maxwell´s theory was established only in 1887, eight years after his death, when the Heinrich Hertz discovered electromagnetic radiation at microwave frequencies, as predicted by Maxwell.<>
Keywords
electromagnetic field theory; history; James Clerk Maxwell; electromagnetism; Electromagnetic radiation; Microwave frequencies; Physics;
fLanguage
English
Journal_Title
Spectrum, IEEE
Publisher
ieee
ISSN
0018-9235
Type
jour
DOI
10.1109/6.123329
Filename
123329
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