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Ampère, André Marie

Ampère, André Marie

Published: August 29, 2008, 1:56 pm
Updated: August 29, 2008, 1:56 pm
Lead Author: Cutler Cleveland
Topics: People Energy People
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This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor: Tom Lawrence
André Marie Ampère. André Marie Ampère.

André Marie Ampère (1775-1836) was a self-educated French physicist and mathematician as well as a key figure in the development of the fields of electricity and magnetism. Ampère is known for providing independent verification of Avogadro's Law. However, his most important work began in the early 1820s, when he attempted to give a combined theory of electricity and magnetism after hearing of experimental results obtained by Danish physicist Hans Christian Ørsted. Ampère hypothesized that an electric current was capable of exciting a magnetic field and ultimately demonstrated that the direction of the magnetic field is determined by the direction of the current. He developed a quantitative relationship for the strength of a magnetic field in relation to an electric current (known as Ampère's theorem) and studied the process of iron magnetization. Ampère also devised a rule governing the mutual interaction of current-carrying wires (known as Ampère's law) and defined the unit of measurement for current flow, now known as the ampère. Ampère's work was fundamental to 19th century developments in electricity and magnetism.

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Citation

Cutler Cleveland (Lead Author);Tom Lawrence (Topic Editor) "Ampère, André Marie". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 29, 2008; Last revised Date August 29, 2008; Retrieved February 9, 2012 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Amp%C3%A8re%2C_Andr%C3%A9_Marie>

The Author

Cutler Cleveland Editor-in-Chief The Encyclopedia of Earth Cutler J. Cleveland is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. Dr. Cleveland is currently a Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at Boston University, with joint appointments in the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies and the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer Range Future. He also is a Senior Fellow at the National Council for Science and the Environment in Washington D.C. Dr. Cleveland is als ... (Full Bio)

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