William Gilbert
William Gilbert
William Gilbert was also known as William Gilbert. He lived from 24 May 1544 – 30 November 1603. He was an English physician, physicist and natural philosopher. He didn’t agree with the traditional way of learning which was to learn completely from books and instead tried investigating and experiments of his own to find out information. He became famous for his experiments with electricity and magnetism which he published books on.
William Gilbert first coined the term "electricity" from the Greek word for amber. Gilbert wrote about the electrification of many substances in his "De magnete, magneticisique corporibus". He was also the first person to use the terms electric force, magnetic pole, and electric attraction. William Gilbert was a pioneer of the experimental method and the first to explain the magnetic compass. Before William Gilbert’s work, all that was known of electricity and magnetism was what the ancients knew, that the lodestone possessed magnetic properties and that amber and jet, when rubbed, would attract bits of paper or other substances of small specific gravity.
Very little about magnetism and electricity was understood when he began his experiments. The basic magnetic properties of lodestone (magnetic iron ore) were known, the magnetic compass had been in use for some time by navigators, and the amber effect (now called the triboelectric effect), by which amber and certain other materials acquire a static charge when rubbed was also known. But no one could adequately explain how or why such things worked. Gilbert’s experiments meant that he developed a number of his own theories. One important theory was that the magnetic effect exhibited by the lodestone was distinct from the amber effect, a view that went against the commonly held belief. His experiments disproved other popular beliefs, such as the notion that garlic adversely affected magnetic compasses. The most significant claim made by Gilbert, however,
William Gilbert was also known as William Gilbert. He lived from 24 May 1544 – 30 November 1603. He was an English physician, physicist and natural philosopher. He didn’t agree with the traditional way of learning which was to learn completely from books and instead tried investigating and experiments of his own to find out information. He became famous for his experiments with electricity and magnetism which he published books on.
William Gilbert first coined the term "electricity" from the Greek word for amber. Gilbert wrote about the electrification of many substances in his "De magnete, magneticisique corporibus". He was also the first person to use the terms electric force, magnetic pole, and electric attraction. William Gilbert was a pioneer of the experimental method and the first to explain the magnetic compass. Before William Gilbert’s work, all that was known of electricity and magnetism was what the ancients knew, that the lodestone possessed magnetic properties and that amber and jet, when rubbed, would attract bits of paper or other substances of small specific gravity.
Very little about magnetism and electricity was understood when he began his experiments. The basic magnetic properties of lodestone (magnetic iron ore) were known, the magnetic compass had been in use for some time by navigators, and the amber effect (now called the triboelectric effect), by which amber and certain other materials acquire a static charge when rubbed was also known. But no one could adequately explain how or why such things worked. Gilbert’s experiments meant that he developed a number of his own theories. One important theory was that the magnetic effect exhibited by the lodestone was distinct from the amber effect, a view that went against the commonly held belief. His experiments disproved other popular beliefs, such as the notion that garlic adversely affected magnetic compasses. The most significant claim made by Gilbert, however,