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A Consideration on the Changing Role of Mathematics in Ampère’s and Weber’s Electrodynamics

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A History of the Ideas of Theoretical Physics

Part of the book series: Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science ((BSPS,volume 213))

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Abstract

In 1820 Andre Marie Ampère (1775 Lyon — 1836 Marseilles) coined the term électrodynamique to indicate that the new science of electric currents and magnets was part of the Newtonian program of a general science of forces and motions. Adopting the spirit of Ampère’s works, Gauss and Weber translated the French into Elektrodynamik and Helmholtz and Hertz also used this German term in their reinterpretation of Maxwell’s ideas. Conversely, the term “electromagnetism” appears to have originated with Oersted and, extensively used in Faraday’s and Maxwell’s work, remained the standard word in the Anglo-Saxon tradition. Following the German tradition, Lorentz and Einstein used elektrodynamik while most others theoretical physicists of the twentieth century preferred the English translation of the term, “electrodynamics”.

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Notes

  1. Ampère [1826] 10. Ampère [1921] 79.

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  2. This short rendering of Ampëre’s arguments is in Whittaker [1951] vol.I, 85, 86.

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  3. Ampère [1921] 79.

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  4. Ampère [1921] 79, note.

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  6. Ampère [1926] 8.

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  7. O’Rahilly [1965] Vol. 2, 523.

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  8. This is a view held by both Ampère and von Humbol. See Jungnickel & Mccormmach [1986] Vol. 1, 64.

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  9. A letter from Gauss to the Göttingen University Curator, 29 January 1833, a quotation in Jungnickel & McCormmach [1986] Vol. 1, 64.

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  10. Gauss [1867] Vol. V, pp. 293–304.

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  11. For a very incisive overview of Gauss’s theoretical and experimental contribution to magnetism: Jungnickel & McCormmach [1986] Vol. 1, 63–77.

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  12. Weber [1893] b) 6–18.

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  13. A rather extensive discussion of Weber’s life and work is in: Jungnickel & McCormmach [1986] a) 130–148; b) 72–79.

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  14. Weber [1846].

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  15. Weber [1846] Introduction, 34.

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  16. Weber [1846] 35–40. Therein Weber described this instrument in great detail.

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  17. Weber [1846] 79.

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  26. Weber [1846] 142.

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  27. Weber [1846] 54 ff. A modern rendering of Weber’s deduction is in Whittaker [1951] Vol. 1, pp. 83–88.

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  43. Weber [1852] 368.

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  46. In 1873 Maxwell thought that the necessary velocity to obtain measurable effects was practically achievable (D’Agostino [1996] 41–42).

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  49. Short versions of Weber’s argument are often reported in the secondary sources; for instance: Whittaker [1951] Vol 1, 201–208. Also in: Wiederkehr [1967] 140–141. Therefore I can be excused from reporting the full procedure.

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  50. Weber & Koholrausch [1856] 605.

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  51. Weber [1856] 595.

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  54. Weber [1864] 157.

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  56. Weber & Koholrausch [1856] 607.

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  57. Maxwell, highly praises Ampère’s theory in is Treatise. See: Maxwell [1954] Part IV, Chap. III.

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  58. Weber’s remarks on Ampère are extensively quoted by Duhem [1921] 324.

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  59. Duhem [1921] 324.

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  60. Duhem [1921] 322.

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  61. Ampère [1826] 5.

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  1. Università “La Sapienza”, Roma, Italy

    Salvo D’Agostino

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  1. Salvo D’Agostino
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© 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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D’Agostino, S. (2000). A Consideration on the Changing Role of Mathematics in Ampère’s and Weber’s Electrodynamics. In: A History of the Ideas of Theoretical Physics. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol 213. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9034-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-9034-6_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-0244-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-9034-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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