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From ancient times, humans have tried to understand the workings of the world around them. The roots of modern physical science go back to the very earliest mechanical devices such as levers and rollers, the mixing of paints and dyes, and the importance of the heavenly bodies in early religious observance and navigation. The physical sciences as we know them today began to emerge as independent academic subjects during the early modern period, in the work of Newton and other 'natural philosophers', and numerous sub-disciplines developed during the centuries that followed. This part of the Cambridge Library Collection is devoted to landmark publications in this area which will be of interest to historians of science concerned with individual scientists, particular discoveries, and advances in scientific method, or with the establishment and development of scientific institutions around the world.

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137 results in Cambridge Library Collection - Physical Sciences

Page 6 of 7

Notes on Recent Researches in Electricity and Magnetism
  • Intended as a Sequel to Professor Clerk-Maxwell's Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism
  • Joseph John Thomson
  • Published online:
    05 August 2011
    Print publication:
    24 June 2010
    First published in:
    1893
  • This 1893 publication is a central text in the work of the Nobel prize winning physicist Sir Joseph John Thomson (1858–1940). Intended as an extension of James Clerk Maxwell's Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, it documents the important shift in Thomson's thinking towards the model of the atomic electric field, a theory that would eventually lead to his discovery of the electron. In Chapter 1, Thomson documents his experiments with Faraday tubes, using them to physically demonstrate a 'molecular theory of electricity'. Chapter 2 considers the discharge of electricity through gases, Chapter 3 theories of electrostatics, and Chapters 4–6 are primarily concerned with alternating currents. In addition to providing crucial insight into Thomson's evolving theory of the atom, Recent Researches underscores his commitment to experimental physics, which offers 'all the advantages in vividness which arise from concrete qualities rather than abstract symbols'.

A History of the Royal Society
  • With Memoirs of the Presidents
  • Volume 1
  • Charles Richard Weld
  • Published online:
    05 August 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1848
  • The Royal Society has been dedicated to scientific inquiry since the seventeenth century and has seen a long line of illustrious scientists and thinkers among its fellowship. The society's Assistant Secretary and Librarian, Charles Richard Weld (1813–1869), spent four years writing this two-volume History of the Royal Society, published in 1848, which also includes illustrations by his wife, Anne. Weld's aim was to document the 'rise, progress, and constitution' of the society. He charts how the informal meetings of like-minded men engaged in scientific pursuits in the mid-1600s developed into a prestigious society that by 1830 counted as one of the world's most influential scientific institutions. Volume 1 covers the period to 1755, describing the society's origins and key moments in its growth, with a focus on its governance, benefactors and organisation. It also contains biographies of presidents including Samuel Pepys and Isaac Newton.

The Life of James Clerk Maxwell
  • With a Selection from his Correspondence and Occasional Writings and a Sketch of his Contributions to Science
  • Lewis Campbell, William Garnett
  • Published online:
    05 July 2011
    Print publication:
    03 June 2010
    First published in:
    1882
  • James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) was a Scottish physicist well-known for his extensive work with electromagnetism, colour analysis, and kinetic theory. Considered by many to be a giant in his field with significant influence on the physicists who would follow, Maxwell spent time as a professor at Aberdeen University, King's College, London, and Cambridge. This 1882 Life by his friend Lewis Campbell and natural philosopher William Garnett represents an important – and lengthy – investigation into Maxwell's life and thought. Part I is concerned with biographical matters while the second section focuses upon his scientific mind. A third part contains Maxwell's poetry, so included because the poems are 'characteristic of him' and have 'curious biographical interest'. At nearly 700 pages, the Life represents an important starting point for those curious about the state of theoretical physics and the person in whom it reached its culmination in the nineteenth century.

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism
  • Volume 2
  • James Clerk Maxwell
  • Published online:
    05 July 2011
    Print publication:
    24 June 2010
    First published in:
    1873
  • Arguably the most influential nineteenth-century scientist for twentieth-century physics, James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) demonstrated that electricity, magnetism and light are all manifestations of the same phenomenon: the electromagnetic field. A fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, Maxwell became, in 1871, the first Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge. His famous equations - a set of four partial differential equations that relate the electric and magnetic fields to their sources, charge density and current density - first appeared in fully developed form in his 1873 Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. This two-volume textbook brought together all the experimental and theoretical advances in the field of electricity and magnetism known at the time, and provided a methodical and graduated introduction to electromagnetic theory. Volume 2 covers magnetism and electromagnetism, including the electromagnetic theory of light, the theory of magnetic action on light, and the electric theory of magnetism.

Electrical Researches of Henry Cavendish
  • Edited by James Clerk Maxwell
  • Henry Cavendish
  • Published online:
    05 July 2011
    Print publication:
    20 May 2010
    First published in:
    1879
  • Henry Cavendish (1731–1810), the grandson of the second duke of Devonshire, wrote papers on electrical topics for the Royal Society, but the majority of his electrical experiments did not become known until they were collected and published by James Clerk Maxwell a century later, in 1879, long after other scientists had been credited with the same results. Among Cavendish's discoveries were the concept of electric potential, which he called the 'degree of electrification'; an early unit of capacitance, that of a sphere one inch in diameter; the formula for the capacitance of a plate capacitor; the concept of the dielectric constant of a material; the relationship between electric potential and current, now called Ohm's Law; laws for the division of current in parallel circuits, now attributed to Charles Wheatstone; and the inverse square law of variation of electric force with distance, now called Coulomb's Law.

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism
  • Volume 1
  • James Clerk Maxwell
  • Published online:
    05 July 2011
    Print publication:
    24 June 2010
    First published in:
    1873
  • Arguably the most influential nineteenth-century scientist for twentieth-century physics, James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) demonstrated that electricity, magnetism and light are all manifestations of the same phenomenon: the electromagnetic field. A fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, Maxwell became, in 1871, the first Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge. His famous equations - a set of four partial differential equations that relate the electric and magnetic fields to their sources, charge density and current density - first appeared in fully developed form in his 1873 Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. This two-volume textbook brought together all the experimental and theoretical advances in the field of electricity and magnetism known at the time, and provided a methodical and graduated introduction to electromagnetism. Volume 1 covers the first elements of Maxwell's electromagnetic theory: electrostatics, and electrokinematics, including detailed analyses of electrolysis, conduction in three dimensions, and conduction through heterogeneous media.

The Dynamical Theory of Gases
  • 4th edition
  • James Jeans
  • Published online:
    05 July 2011
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1904
  • Jeans's primary aim with the first edition of his book, originally published in 1904, was to 'develop the theory of gases upon as exact a mathematical basis as possible'. Twenty years later and those theories were being revolutionised by Quantum Theory. In this fourth edition, Jeans does not attempt to avoid the discoveries of this topical science, but rather exposes the many difficulties that classical theory was experiencing, and how those problems disappeared with Quantum Theory. This edition therefore offers a fascinating insight into a field of physics in transition between two great models of physical science.

A New System of Chemical Philosophy
  • Volume 2
  • John Dalton
  • Published online:
    13 June 2011
    Print publication:
    16 September 2010
    First published in:
    1827
  • The renowned English chemist and meteorologist John Dalton (1766–1844) published A New System of Chemical Philosophy in two volumes, between 1808 and 1827. Dalton's discovery of the importance of the relative weight and structure of particles of a compound for explaining chemical reactions transformed atomic theory and laid the basis for much of what is modern chemistry. Volume 2 was published in 1827. It contains sections examining the weights and structures of two-element compounds in five different groups: metallic oxides; earthly, alkaline and metallic sulphurets; earthly, alkaline and metallic phosphurets; carburet; and metallic alloys. An appendix contains a selection of brief notes and tables, including a new table of the relative weights of atoms. A planned second part was never published. Dalton's work is a monument of nineteenth-century chemistry. It will continue to be read and enjoyed by anybody interested in the history and development of science.

The Scientific Papers of Sir George Darwin
  • Supplementary Volume
  • Volume 5
  • George Howard Darwin
  • Edited by F. J. M. Stratton, J. Jackson
  • Published online:
    05 June 2011
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1916
  • Sir George Darwin (1845–1912) was the second son of Charles Darwin. After studying mathematics at Cambridge he read for the Bar, but soon returned to science and to Cambridge, where in 1883 he was appointed Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy. His work was concerned primarily with the effect of the sun and moon on tidal forces on Earth, and with the theoretical cosmogony which evolved from practical observation: he formulated the fission theory of the formation of the moon (that the moon was formed from still-molten matter pulled away from the Earth by solar tides). He also developed a theory of evolution for the Sun–Earth–Moon system based on mathematical analysis in geophysical theory. This volume, published in 1916 after the author's death, includes a biographical memoir by his brother Sir Francis Darwin, his inaugural lecture and his lectures on George W. Hill's lunar theory.

Through Space and Time
  • James Jeans
  • Published online:
    05 June 2011
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1934
  • Through Space and Time is based upon the 1933 Christmas Lectures that James Jeans gave at the Royal Institution, London. Intended to appeal to a wide readership and presenting a broad understanding of the Earth, solar system and the universe, the book begins its journey with the history, structure and main features of our planet, and ends in the vast expanses of space among the nebulae.

The Home Life of Sir David Brewster
  • Margaret Maria Gordon
  • Published online:
    01 June 2011
    Print publication:
    10 June 2010
    First published in:
    1869
  • The Home Life of Sir David Brewster, originally published in 1869, records the remarkable life of inventor, physicist, mathematician and astronomer, Sir David Brewster (1781–1868). Written by his daughter, Mrs Margaret M. Gordon, the book is aimed at a non-academic audience, and details the extraordinary life and work of this amazing scientist, who began his studies at Edinburgh University at the age of just twelve, and who is best known for his invention of the kaleidoscope and of the apparatus that initially formed the structure of the core of the lighthouse, and thus his work on the polarization of light. Mrs. Gordon cites Brewster's many activities, including the publication of over 2,000 scientific papers, though she stresses that she has written about her father as the man, and not the scientist. The book will appeal to anyone interested in the life and career of this undoubtedly brilliant Scotsman.

Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age
  • With Selections from her Correspondence
  • Mary Somerville
  • Edited by Martha Somerville
  • Published online:
    01 June 2011
    Print publication:
    27 May 2010
    First published in:
    1873
  • These Personal Recollections contain the memoirs and a selection of the correspondence of the nineteenth-century polymath Mary Somerville (1780–1872). The book was first published in 1873, a year after Mary's death, by her daughter Martha, who wrote brief introductions to the text. Mary Somerville is best known for her pioneering scientific publications which include her translation of Laplace's Mécanique Céleste (1831: also resissued in this series); On the Connection of the Physical Sciences (1834); Physical Geography (1848); and On Molecular and Microscopic Science (1869). Through these publications, Somerville made a lasting contribution to the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Somerville's correspondence deals primarily with her public life, while the memoirs offer insight into her private sphere: the discouragement she faced in pursuit of learning; her passion for women's education and suffrage; family life; and personal faith. Her story is compelling, and her experiences may resonate with many women today.

The Opus Majus of Roger Bacon
  • Volume 1
  • Edited by John Henry Bridges
  • Roger Bacon
  • Published online:
    04 April 2011
    Print publication:
    01 July 2010
    First published in:
    1897
  • Roger Bacon, the medieval natural philosopher who broke new ground in promoting scientific method, produced the encyclopedic Opus Majus or 'Greater Work' in the mid-thirteenth century. This 1897 publication in two volumes was the first complete edition of the work to appear in print. Written at the request of Pope Clement IV, the Opus Majus is the most significant and most influential of Bacon's works, containing his observations of the natural world and theories on knowledge acquisition. Bacon's text appears in the original Latin, and Bridges includes a substantial introduction and brief analysis of each chapter in English, as well as extensive footnotes and an analytical table to aid the reader. Volume 1 contains the first four parts of Bacon's treatise with sections on 'Wisdom and Truth', 'The connection of Philosophy with Theology', 'The Study of Language', and 'Mathematical Science'.

The Life and Letters of Faraday
  • Volume 2
  • Bence Jones, Michael Faraday
  • Published online:
    02 March 2011
    Print publication:
    24 June 2010
    First published in:
    1870
  • Michael Faraday (1791–1867) made foundational contributions in the fields of physics and chemistry, notably in relation to electricity. One of the greatest scientists of his day, Faraday held the position of Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain for over thirty years. Not long after his death, his friend Henry Bence Jones attempted 'to join together his words, and to form them into a picture of his life which may be almost looked upon as an autobiography'. Jones' compilation of Faraday's manuscripts, letters, notebooks, and other writings resulted in this Life and Letters (1870) which remains an important resource for learning more about one of the most influential scientific experimentalists of the nineteenth century. Volume 2 (1831–1867) describes his research on electricity and electromagnetism, his work as a scientific adviser to the government and industry and his service to education.

Memoirs of Dr. Joseph Priestley
  • Volume 2
  • Joseph Priestley, Thomas Cooper
  • Published online:
    01 March 2011
    Print publication:
    10 June 2010
    First published in:
    1807
  • Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) was an eighteenth-century English polymath with accomplishments in the fields of science, pedagogy, philosophy, and theology. Among his more notable achievements were the discovery of oxygen and his work in establishing Unitarianism. Often a controversialist, Priestley's efforts to develop a 'rational' Christianity and support for the French Revolution eventually made him unwelcome in his native land. His 1807 Memoirs relate the story of his life until the time of his 1794 emigration to America and include other biographical materials written by his son. This second volume contains a lengthy discussion of Priestley's theological writings as well as four of his sermons. Priestley's memoirs are an important source for anyone interested in the state of epistemology, rationalism, and religious belief in the age of the Enlightenment, and in a man who, in the words of his son, 'gave unremitting exertions in the cause of truth'.

Elements of Natural Philosophy
  • William Thomson, P. G. Tait
  • Published online:
    10 November 2010
    Print publication:
    10 June 2010
    First published in:
    1873
  • In 1867, Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) and Peter Guthrie Tate revolutionised physics with the publication of their Treatise on Natural Philosophy, in which they demonstrated the centrality of energy conservation to systems of dynamic movement. Popularly known as 'T&T' for its authors' initials, the Treatise became the standard textbook on natural philosophy, introducing generations of mathematicians to the 'new energy-based dynamics'. In Elements of Natural Philosophy (1873), they distil the portions of the Treatise not requiring higher calculus into a primer suitable for use in university courses. The first half covers the basic principles of kinematics and dynamics, including the motion of points, lines, and volumes, while the second half concerns questions of 'abstract dynamics', including particle attraction. The result of one of the most important collaborations in modern physics, this book remains a thorough introduction to the major principles of Thomson and Tait's larger work.

Biographical Memoir of James Dinwiddie, L.L.D., Astronomer in the British Embassy to China, 1792, '3, '4,
  • Afterwards Professor of Natural Philosophy in the College of Fort William, Bengal
  • William Jardine Proudfoot
  • Published online:
    05 October 2010
    Print publication:
    10 June 2010
    First published in:
    1868
  • This is an account of the career of James Dinwiddie (1746–1815). First published in 1868 by Dinwiddie's grandson William Jardine Proudfoot, the work is based on Dinwiddie's own autobiographical notes, travel logbook and personal correspondence. The biography traces Dinwiddie's career from the scientific lectures he gave from 1781 and the journal series Queries and Hints, which he began in 1779, to his visit to the Chinese imperial court as official astronomer in Lord Macartney's mission (1792–1794); his residence in Beijing and Canton; and his move to India, where he was appointed Professor of Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Chemistry at the College of Fort William, Bengal. Dinwiddie's career was marked by passionate commitment to the dissemination of scientific knowledge – his travels, lectures and publications were undertaken for this cause. His life is a fascinating account of a polymathic mind which will fascinate and entertain a modern-day readership.

Matter and Motion
  • James Clerk Maxwell
  • Published online:
    05 October 2010
    Print publication:
    10 June 2010
    First published in:
    1888
  • Published posthumously in 1888, this treatise by the first Cavendish Professor of Physics at Cambridge explores and explains the fundamental principles and laws that are the basis of elementary physics. Maxwell was at the forefront of physics and mathematics during the nineteenth century and his pioneering work brought together existing ideas to give 'a dynamical theory of the electromagnetic field'. This work inspired not only the applications of electromagnetic waves like fibre optics but also Einstein's theory of relativity. The text explains many of Newton's laws and the unifying concepts that govern a body and its motion. The increment in the complexity of topics allows one to build a solid understanding of the accepted laws of mathematical physics that explain topics like force, work, energy and the centre mass point of a material system. This logical guide and instruction is as timeless as the laws of physics that it explains.

The Life and Letters of Faraday
  • Volume 1
  • Bence Jones, Michael Faraday
  • Published online:
    05 October 2010
    Print publication:
    24 June 2010
    First published in:
    1870
  • Michael Faraday (1791–1867) made foundational contributions in the fields of physics and chemistry, notably in relation to electricity. One of the greatest scientists of his day, Faraday held the position of Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain for over thirty years. Not long after his death, his friend Henry Bence Jones attempted 'to join together his words, and to form them into a picture of his life which may be almost looked upon as an autobiography'. Jones' compilation of Faraday's manuscripts, letters, notebooks, and other writings resulted in this Life and Letters (1870) which remains an important resource for learning more about one of the most influential scientific experimentalists of the nineteenth century. Volume 1 (1791–1830) covers Faraday's earliest years as an errand boy and bookbinder's apprentice, his arrival at the Royal Institution as an assistant and his early publications on electricity.

Memoir and Scientific Correspondence of the Late Sir George Gabriel Stokes, Bart.
  • Selected and Arranged by Joseph Larmor
  • Volume 2
  • George Gabriel Stokes
  • Edited by Joseph Larmor
  • Published online:
    05 October 2010
    Print publication:
    24 June 2010
    First published in:
    1907
  • Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge and President of the Royal Society, Sir George Gabriel Stokes (1819–1904) made substantial contributions to the fields of fluid dynamics, optics, physics, and geodesy, in which numerous discoveries still bear his name. The Memoir and Scientific Correspondence of the Late Sir George Gabriel Stokes, Bart., edited by Joseph Larmor, offers rare insight into this capacious scientific mind, with letters attesting to the careful, engaged experimentation that earned him international acclaim. Volume 2 (1907) includes important professional correspondence with James Clerk Maxwell, James Prescott Joule, and many others, with particular attention given to Stokes' activities with the British Meteorological Society. Many of his foundational innovations in optics are also explicated in these letters, serving in place of the authoritative volume he unfortunately never had the opportunity to complete.

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