Umair Gaines
William Gilbert, an English physician, physicist and natural philosopher, is considered the father of electrical studies. He was the first to use the terms 'electric attraction', 'electric force' and 'magnetic pole'. Gilbert's principal work, 'De Magnete, Magneticisque Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure' (1600), gave a full account of his research on magnetic bodies and electrical attractions. The English word 'electricity' was first used in 1646 by Sir Thomas Browne, derived from Gilbert's 1600 Neo-Latin 'electricus', meaning 'like amber'.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year William Gilbert was born | 24 May 1544 |
| Place of birth | Colchester, Essex, England |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge University |
| Year of graduation | 1569 |
| Profession | Physician, physicist, and natural philosopher |
| Known for | Research in magnetism and electricity |
| Notable work | De Magnete, Magneticisque Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure (1600) |
| Other works | De Mundo Nostro Sublunari Philosophia Nova (published posthumously in 1651) |
| Death | 30 November or 10 December 1603 |
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What You'll Learn
William Gilbert's life and work
William Gilbert, born on May 24, 1544, in Colchester, Essex, England, was an English physician, physicist, and natural philosopher. He was born into a rising middle-class family, with his father, Jerome Gilberd, working as a borough recorder. At the age of 14, Gilbert began his studies at St. John's College, Cambridge University, where he obtained bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, completing his education in 1569.
After graduating, Gilbert moved to London to practice medicine and also travelled to the continent. In 1573, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, marking the beginning of a successful medical career. Alongside his medical practice, Gilbert embarked on extensive research into electricity and magnetism, becoming a pioneer in these fields. He conducted experiments and sought to understand the underlying principles of these phenomena, which were not yet fully comprehended at the time.
Gilbert's principal work, titled "De Magnete, Magneticisque Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure" (On the Loadstone, Magnetic Bodies, and the Great Magnet of the Earth), was published in 1600. This six-volume treatise compiled all the existing knowledge about magnetism and electricity known up to that point. It included descriptions of Gilbert's experiments, his conclusions, and data obtained by others. In his book, Gilbert introduced fundamental terminology in the field of electromagnetism, including terms like electricity, electric attraction, electric force, and magnetic pole. He is often regarded as the father of electrical studies due to his groundbreaking work and the introduction of these key concepts.
Gilbert's work had a significant impact on other notable scientists such as Galileo and Johannes Kepler. In 1600, he was elected President of the Royal College of Physicians, and the following year, in 1601, he became the personal physician to Queen Elizabeth I. When Queen Elizabeth I passed away in 1603, he continued in the same capacity for her successor, King James I. Unfortunately, William Gilbert's life was cut short in the same year, as he died on November 30, 1603, possibly due to the bubonic plague epidemic that ravaged London at the time.
Despite his untimely death, Gilbert left behind unpublished writings that were posthumously compiled and published in 1651 as "De Mundo Nostro Sublunari Philosophia Nova" (A New Philosophy of Our Sublunary World). This work revealed his modern views on the structure of the universe, including his agreement with Copernicus' theory that the Earth rotates on its axis. Gilbert's legacy also endures through the unit of magnetomotive force, known as the Gilbert, which was named in his honour.
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De Magnete
William Gilbert, an English physician, physicist, and natural philosopher, published De Magnete, Magneticisque Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure (On the Magnet, Magnetic Bodies, and the Great Magnet of the Earth) in 1600. The book, which was the culmination of 18 years of investigation and experimentation, is considered a seminal text for scientists interested in electricity and magnetism.
In De Magnete, Gilbert described many of his experiments with his model Earth, called the terrella. He also studied static electricity produced by amber, or elektron in Greek, and electrum in Latin, and so he decided to refer to the phenomenon by the adjective "electricus". Gilbert also showed that a freely suspended magnet is controlled by the Earth and not by extraterrestrial influences. He contended that the Earth was one great magnet and distinguished magnetic mass from weight.
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Gilbert's influence on other scientists
William Gilbert was an English physician, physicist, and natural philosopher born in Colchester, Essex, England, on May 24, 1544. He is best remembered for his book "De Magnete, Magneticisque Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure" ("On the Magnet, Magnetic Bodies, and the Great Magnet of the Earth"), published in 1600. In this book, Gilbert compiled all the information about magnetism and electricity known at the time, including descriptions of his experiments and their conclusions. He is credited with establishing much of the basic terminology still used in electromagnetics, including "electricity", "electric attraction", "electric force", and "magnetic pole".
Gilbert's work had a significant influence on many scientists and philosophers that came after him. Here are some details on Gilbert's influence on a few notable figures:
Galileo Galilei: Galileo is believed to have been significantly influenced by Gilbert's work. Gilbert's idea that the motion of the skies was due to Earth's rotation predated Galileo's similar assertion by 20 years. Additionally, Galileo shared an admiration for Gilbert's work with Johannes Kepler.
Johannes Kepler: Kepler, a German astronomer and mathematician, was influenced by Gilbert's work on magnetism and his philosophical method. Kepler attempted to extend the idea of magnetic attraction to the planets, adopting a similar approach to Gilbert's in his own work.
Hans Christian Ørsted and James Clerk Maxwell: Ørsted and Maxwell, through their work on electromagnetism, showed that both magnetic attraction and electric attraction were aspects of a single force: electromagnetism. Their work built upon Gilbert's understanding of magnetism and helped correct some of his misconceptions.
Robert Hooke, Christopher Wren, and Isaac Newton: These scientists were influenced by Gilbert's ideas on magnetism and its potential connection to universal gravitation. They explored the concept of universal gravitation as analogous to magnetism, expanding on Gilbert's theories.
Copernicus: While not a direct influence on Copernicus, it is worth noting that Gilbert agreed with Copernicus' assertion that the Earth rotates on its axis. This agreement demonstrates Gilbert's modern views on the structure of the universe.
William Gilbert's work on electricity and magnetism laid the foundation for subsequent research and theories in these fields. His experimental approach and comprehensive documentation inspired and guided many scientists who followed in his footsteps.
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Gilbert's terminology
William Gilbert, an English physician, physicist and natural philosopher, was born in Colchester, Essex, England, on May 24, 1544. He is remembered today largely for his book, De Magnete, published in 1600, in which he compiled all the information regarding magnetism and electricity known at the time.
Gilbert is credited with establishing much of the basic terminology still used in the field of electromagnetics. He was the first to use the term "electricity", derived from his 1600 Neo-Latin "electricus", meaning "like amber". The term had been in use since the 13th century, but Gilbert was the first to use it to describe the attractive properties of amber. He recognised that friction with amber removed a so-called "effluvium", which would then cause the attraction effect to return to the object.
Gilbert also coined the terms "electric attraction", "electric force", and "magnetic pole". He believed that the magnetic effect exhibited by lodestone was distinct from the amber effect, a view that went against commonly held beliefs at the time. He also disproved the notion that garlic adversely affected magnetic compasses.
Gilbert's work included descriptions of his own experiments and the conclusions he drew from them, as well as data previously obtained by others. He invented the first electrical measuring instrument, the electroscope, in the form of a pivoted needle he called the versorium. He also developed a theory that the Earth is a giant magnet, similar to lodestone, and that the dip of a versorium varies as it is moved around a terella (a round lodestone) in a way that is analogous to the varying dip of a compass needle at different points on the Earth's surface.
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Gilbert's legacy
William Gilbert is remembered for his work in magnetism and electricity. He is often considered the father of electrical studies. Gilbert's principal work, De Magnete, Magneticisque Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure, published in 1600, gives a full account of his research on magnetic bodies and electrical attractions. The book included descriptions of many of Gilbert's experiments and the conclusions he drew from them, as well as data obtained by others. In De Magnete, Gilbert established much of the basic terminology still used in the field of electromagnetics, including electricity, electric attraction, electric force, and magnetic pole. He was the first to use the term "electricity" in 1600, derived from the Neo-Latin "electricus", meaning "like amber".
Gilbert's work on magnetism was groundbreaking for his time. He developed a versorium, an instrument consisting of a metal needle that could pivot freely in response to a magnetic or electric field. He used this device to demonstrate that the Earth is magnetic, similar to lodestone. He also argued that electricity and magnetism were distinct phenomena, although this was later proven incorrect by Hans Christian Ørsted and James Clerk Maxwell, who showed that both effects were aspects of a single force: electromagnetism. Gilbert's work on magnetism and electricity made him the most distinguished man of science in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was elected President of the Royal College of Physicians in 1600 and served as the Queen's personal physician until her death in 1603.
Gilbert's work on magnetism and electricity laid the foundation for further research and understanding in these fields. His experimental approach and the insights presented in De Magnete made it a seminal text for scientists interested in electricity and magnetism. Gilbert's theories and observations, while not always correct, sparked further investigation and contributed to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of physics and electromagnetism.
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Frequently asked questions
William Gilbert was an English physician, physicist and natural philosopher.
William Gilbert's principal work, De Magnete, was published in 1600. In it, he compiled all the information regarding magnetism and electricity known at the time.
De Magnete, Magneticisque Corporibus, et de Magno Magnete Tellure translates to "On the Magnet, Magnetic Bodies, and the Great Magnet of the Earth".
William Gilbert studied at St John's College, Cambridge University, graduating with bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 1569.
William Gilbert died on 10 December 1603, possibly from the bubonic plague.
