Physics History
All contributors in Physics History
In 1910, physicist, Robert A. Millikan, first measured the charge on the electron, which is the fundamental electric charge, with his classic oil drop experiment. more...
Biography of Physicist Robert Andrews Millikan
A brief biography of Robert A. Millikan, who won the 1923 Nobel prize in physics for his famous Millikan oil drop experiment. more...
Understanding the Cavendish Experiment
Henry Cavendish, in 1798, performed the experiment that can be used to measure the gravitational constant, G, however Cavendish calculated Earth's density not G. more...
Physicist, Hubert Mack Thaxton
Hubert Mack Thaxton, an African American physicist who did fundamental work in nuclear physics and applied work in electronics and acoustics, faced racial discrimination. more...
Galileo thermometers are popular ornamental thermometers. How do they work? more...
Galileo's Telescope Discoveries
With his telescope Galileo discovered craters on the Moon, spots on the Sun, Moons of Jupiter, phases of Venus, and stars in the Milky Way. more...
Timing swings with his pulse Galileo discovered a fundamental principle pendulums, which led to more accurate clocks and the ability to accurately measure longitude. more...
All feature articles in Physics History
By: Erin Britton
Ohm's law states that the current through a conductor between two points is proportional to the potential difference and inversely proportional to the resistance. more...
By: Erin Britton
Planck's revolutionary idea of describing light statistically rather than as a continuous wave seeded the birth of quantum physics. more...
By: Erin Britton
If a substance is cooled enough it will become so cold that its atoms stop moving completely. This hypothetical point is called absolute zero. more...
By: Erin Britton
Brownian motion describes the jerky movements of small particles as they are buffeted by invisible water or gas molecules. more...
By: Erin Britton
Shine white light through a glass prism and the emerging rays of light will spread out in a rainbow of colours. more...
By: Erin Britton
The tendency of hot and cold bodies to exchange heat and move towards an even temperature is captured in the second law of thermodynamics. more...
By: Erin Britton
Used in engineering, construction and materials science, Hooke's law shows how materials deform when forces are applied. more...
All contributing articles in Physics History