James Clerk Maxwell

Summary

James Clerk Maxwell is a human^[1]. His place of birth was Edinburgh^[2]. He was born on June 13, 1831^[3]. He died in Cambridge^[4]. He died on November 5, 1879^[5]. He worked as a physicist^[6], mathematician^[7], inventor^[8], photographer^[9], and university teacher^[10]. He ranks in the top 0.56% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (4,901 views/month, #5,602 of 1,000,298).^[11]

Key Facts

• James Clerk Maxwell was born in Edinburgh^[2].
• James Clerk Maxwell passed away in Cambridge^[4].
• James Clerk Maxwell was born on June 13, 1831^[3].
• James Clerk Maxwell died on November 5, 1879^[5].
• James Clerk Maxwell is buried at Westminster Abbey^[12].
• James Clerk Maxwell is buried at Parton Churchyard^[13].
• James Clerk Maxwell's father was John Clerk-Maxwell of Middlebie^[14].
• James Clerk Maxwell's mother was Frances Cay^[15].
• Among James Clerk Maxwell's spouses was Katherine Clerk Maxwell^[16].
• James Clerk Maxwell held citizenship in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland^[17].
• English was James Clerk Maxwell's native language^[18].
• James Clerk Maxwell worked as a physicist^[6].
• James Clerk Maxwell's professions included mathematician^[7].
• James Clerk Maxwell worked as an inventor^[8].
• James Clerk Maxwell's professions included photographer^[9].
• James Clerk Maxwell worked as a university teacher^[10].
• James Clerk Maxwell worked as a theoretical physicist^[19].
• James Clerk Maxwell's field of work was physics^[20].
• James Clerk Maxwell's field of work was mechanics^[21].
• James Clerk Maxwell's field of work was mathematics^[22].
• James Clerk Maxwell's field of work was electromagnetic field^[23].
• James Clerk Maxwell's field of work was electricity^[24].
• James Clerk Maxwell's field of work was magnetism^[25].
• James Clerk Maxwell held the position of Cavendish Professor of Physics^[26].
• Among James Clerk Maxwell's employers was King's College London^[27].

Body

Origins and Family

James Clerk Maxwell's place of birth was Edinburgh^[2]. He was born on June 13, 1831^[3]. His father was John Clerk-Maxwell of Middlebie^[14]. His mother was Frances Cay^[15]. English was his native language^[18].

Education

Educated at University of Edinburgh^[28], a public university^[29], in United Kingdom^[30], founded in 1583^[31], headquartered in Edinburgh^[32]; Peterhouse^[33], a college of the University of Cambridge^[34], in United Kingdom^[35], founded in 1284^[36]; Edinburgh Academy^[37], an independent school^[38], in United Kingdom^[39], founded in 1824^[40], headquartered in Edinburgh^[41]; Trinity College^[42], a college of the University of Cambridge^[43], in United Kingdom^[44], founded in 1546^[45], headquartered in Cambridge^[46]; and University of Cambridge^[47], a collegiate university^[48], in United Kingdom^[49], founded in 1209^[50], headquartered in Cambridge^[51]. James Clerk Maxwell's doctoral advisor was William Hopkins^[52].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include physicist^[6], mathematician^[7], inventor^[8], photographer^[9], university teacher^[10], and theoretical physicist^[19]. Fields of work include physics^[20], a branch of science^[53]; mechanics^[21], a branch of physics^[54]; mathematics^[22], an academic discipline^[55]; electromagnetic field^[23]; electricity^[24]; and magnetism^[25], a branch of physics^[56]. Employers include King's College London^[27], a public research university^[57], in United Kingdom^[58], founded in 1829^[59], headquartered in London^[60]; University of Cambridge^[61], a collegiate university^[62], in United Kingdom^[63], founded in 1209^[64], headquartered in Cambridge^[65]; and Marischal College^[66], a building^[67], in United Kingdom^[68], founded in 1593^[69]. James Clerk Maxwell held the position of Cavendish Professor of Physics^[26]. Doctoral students include Horace Lamb^[70], George Chrystal^[71], and John Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh^[72].

Recognition

Awards received include Fellow of the Royal Society^[73], Rumford Medal^[74], Royal Society Bakerian Medal^[75], Keith Medal^[76], Adams Prize^[77], and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh^[78].

Personal Life

James Clerk Maxwell was married to Katherine Clerk Maxwell^[16]. His religion is recorded as Christian socialism^[79].

Death and Burial

James Clerk Maxwell died on November 5, 1879^[5]. He died in Cambridge^[4]. The cause of death was stomach cancer^[80]. Recorded place of burial include Westminster Abbey^[12] and Parton Churchyard^[13].

Works and Contributions

Things named for James Clerk Maxwell include Maxwell's demon^[81], Maxwell's equations^[82], Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution^[83], Maxwell^[84], Maxwell–Boltzmann statistics^[85], Maxwell stress tensor^[86], Maxwell material^[87], and Maxwell Montes^[88].

Why It Matters

James Clerk Maxwell ranks in the top 0.56% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (4,901 views/month, #5,602 of 1,000,298).^[11] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.^[89] He is known by 16 alternative names across languages and contexts.^[90]

He has been cited as an influence by Albert Einstein^[91], a theoretical physicist^[92], 1879–1955^[93], of Kingdom of Württemberg^[94], awarded the Barnard Medal for Meritorious Service to Science^[95], specialised in theoretical physics^[96].

He is credited with the discovery of unified field theory^[97], a concept^[98]. Works attributed to him include A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field^[99], an academic journal article^[100] and A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism^[101], a literary work^[102]. Entities named for him include Maxwell's demon^[81], Maxwell's equations^[82], Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution^[83], Maxwell^[84], Maxwell–Boltzmann statistics^[85], and Maxwell stress tensor^[86].

His notable doctoral advisees include John Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh^[103], John Henry Poynting^[104], Horace Lamb^[105], George Chrystal^[106], and Richard Glazebrook^[107].

FAQs

Where was James Clerk Maxwell born?

Born in Edinburgh^[2], James Clerk Maxwell…

Where did James Clerk Maxwell die?

James Clerk Maxwell died in Cambridge^[4].

Who were James Clerk Maxwell's parents?

James Clerk Maxwell's father was John Clerk-Maxwell of Middlebie^[14]. James Clerk Maxwell's mother was Frances Cay^[15].

Who was James Clerk Maxwell married to?

James Clerk Maxwell's spouses include Katherine Clerk Maxwell^[16].

What did James Clerk Maxwell do for work?

James Clerk Maxwell worked as physicist^[6], mathematician^[7], inventor^[8], photographer^[9], and university teacher^[10].

Where did James Clerk Maxwell go to school?

James Clerk Maxwell was educated at University of Edinburgh^[28], Peterhouse^[33], Edinburgh Academy^[37], and Trinity College^[42].

What awards did James Clerk Maxwell receive?

Honors received include Fellow of the Royal Society^[73], Rumford Medal^[74], Royal Society Bakerian Medal^[75], and Keith Medal^[76].

Who did James Clerk Maxwell influence?

James Clerk Maxwell has been cited as an influence by Albert Einstein^[91].

What did James Clerk Maxwell discover?

James Clerk Maxwell is credited as discoverer of unified field theory^[97].