Tait, Peter Guthrie

Tait, Peter Guthrie

▪ Scottish mathematician and physicist
born April 28, 1831, Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland
died July 4, 1901, Edinburgh

      Scottish physicist and mathematician who helped develop quaternions, an advanced algebra that gave rise to vector analysis and was instrumental in the development of modern mathematical physics.

      After serving from 1852 to 1854 as a fellow and lecturer at Peterhouse College, Cambridge, England, Tait took a professorship in mathematics at Queen's College, Belfast, Ireland. There he joined the noted Irish chemist Thomas Andrews (Andrews, Thomas) in research on the density of ozone and the effect of electric discharges on oxygen and other gases. From 1860 he was a professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh, University of).

      Tait made fundamental contributions to the theory of quaternions, as evident in Elementary Treatise on Quaternions (1867), which went through three editions. Later he wrote Introduction to Quaternions (1873) with Philip Kelland. In collaboration with the English physicist Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin (Kelvin, William Thomson, Baron)), Tait produced Treatise on Natural Philosophy (1867), which traced the concept of conservation of energy to the work of Sir Isaac Newton (Newton, Sir Isaac). Their efforts were vital to the newly emerging concept of energy and its properties.

      After the publication of the Treatise, Tait concentrated on studies of thermoelectricity and thermal conductivity (thermal conduction) (the capacity for heat flow). His Sketch of the History of Thermodynamics (1868) was highly controversial because of its British bias. His other work includes a pioneering study in the topology of knots (1876–84), an important series of papers on the kinetic theory of gases (1886–92), and classic papers on the trajectory of the golf ball (1890–93). With the Scottish physicist Balfour Stewart (Stewart, Balfour), he wrote The Unseen Universe (1867). Such was the public response that they released a sequel, Paradoxical Philosophy (1878).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • TAIT, PETER GUTHRIE —    physicist and mathematician, born at Dalkeith; educated in Edinburgh; became senior wrangler at Cambridge, and Smith s prizeman in 1852; was in 1854 elected professor of Mathematics at Belfast, and in 1860 professor of Natural Philosophy at… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Peter Guthrie Tait — – Scottish physicist, an early pioneer in thermodynamics Born …   Wikipedia

  • Peter Guthrie Tait — (* 28. April 1831 in Dalkeith, in Midlothian, Schottland; † 4. Juli 1901 in Edinburgh) war ein schottischer Physiker. Leben und Werk Tait wuchs, nachdem er mit 6 Jah …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Peter Guthrie Tait — Peter Tait Peter Tait Physicien écossais pionnier de la thermodynamique. Naissance 28 avril 1831 Dalkeith (Écosse) Décès 4 juillet 1901 Na …   Wikipédia en Français

  • TAIT — UNITED KINGDOM (see also List of Individuals) 28.4.1831 Dalkeith/UK 4.7.1901 Edinburgh/UK Peter Guthrie Tait was educated in mathematics and natural philosophy at the Edinburgh and Cambridge Universities. From 1852 to 1856 he worked with a… …   Hydraulicians in Europe 1800-2000

  • Tait (surname) — Tait is a Scottish surname that most likely originated in Berwickshire, Scotland. The origins of the name can be traced back as far as 1100. Tait is derived from the word for cheerful .People* Adam Tait, motoring journalist * Alan Tait, Scottish… …   Wikipedia

  • Tait — may refer to: *Tait (surname), a Scottish surname * Tait (band), a Christian band started by Michael Tait of dc Talk and Chad Chapin * Michael Tait, member of Christian rock group dc Talk and founder of the band Tait * Another name for Honey… …   Wikipedia

  • Tait — bezeichnet: eine altägyptische Gottheit, siehe Tajet Tait (Volk), ein Indianerstamm am unteren Fraser River im westlichen Kanada Tait ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Alan Tait (* 1964), schottischer Rugbyspieler Archibald Campbell Tait… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Tait — (spr. tēt), Peter Guthrie, Mathematiker und Physiker, geb. 28. April 1831 in Dalkeith, gest. 4. Juli 1901 in London, studierte in Edinburg und Cambridge, wurde 1854 Professor der Mathematik in Belfast und erhielt auf Grund des mit W. Thomson… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Tait — (spr. teht), Peter Guthrie, Mathematiker und Physiker, geb. 28. April 1831 in Dalkeith, seit 1860 Prof. in Edinburgh, gest. 4. Juli 1901 in London; schrieb: »Natural philosophy« (mit Thomson; deutsch 1871 74), »Treatise on quaternions« (deutsch… …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”