André-Marie Ampère

André-Marie Ampère (January 20 1775 – June 10 1836), was a French physicist who is generally credited as one of the main discoverers of electromagnetism. The ampere unit of measurement of electric current is named after him.

Early days

Ampère was born in Lyon, near his father's country house in Poleymieux and, as a child prodigy, took a passionate delight in the pursuit of knowledge from his very infancy, and is reported to haveworked out long arithmetical sums by means of pebbles and biscuit crumbs before he knew the figures. His father began to teach him Latin, but ceased on discovering the boy's greater inclination and aptitude for mathematical studies. The young Ampère, however, soon resumed his Latin lessons, to enable him to master the works of Euler and Bernoulli.

Related Topics:
Lyon - Poleymieux - Child prodigy - Latin - Euler - Bernoulli

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In later life he was accustomed to say that he knew as much about mathematics when he was eighteen as ever he knew; but, a polymath, his reading embraced nearly the whole round of knowledge — history, travels, poetry, philosophy and the natural sciences.

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In 1796 he met Julie Carron, and an attachment sprang up between them. In 1799 they were married. From about 1796 Ampère gave private lessons at Lyons in mathematics, chemistry and languages; and in 1801 he removed to Bourg, as professor of physics and chemistry, leaving his ailing wife and infant son (Jean Jacques Ampère) at Lyons. She died in 1804, and he never recovered from the blow. In the same year he was appointed professor of mathematics at the lycée of Lyons.

Related Topics:
1796 - 1799 - Mathematics - Chemistry - 1801 - Physics - Jean Jacques Ampère - Lycée

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