André-Marie Ampère
One of the founders of the science of classical electromagnetism, which he referred to as 'electrodynamics'.
Most quoted
"The most general law of electrodynamic action is that two elements of current attract or repel each other in the inverse ratio of the square of their distance, and in the direct ratio of the product of their lengths and of the sines of the angles which they make with the line joining them."
— from Théorie mathématique des phénomènes électrodynamiques, uniquement déduite de l'expérience, 1826
"The force between two current elements is proportional to the product of their lengths, to the product of the currents they carry, and to the sine of the angle between their directions, and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them."
— from Mémoire sur la théorie mathématique des phénomènes électrodynamiques, uniquement déduite de l'expérience, 1826
"The facts are the only things that are certain in science, and the only way to arrive at truth is to observe them carefully and to deduce from them, by means of rigorous reasoning, the laws that govern them."
— from Essai sur la philosophie des sciences, ou Exposition analytique d'une classification naturelle de toutes les connaissances humaines
All quotes by André-Marie Ampère (369)
A discovery is not truly made until it has been expressed in clear and precise language.
The aim of physics is to reduce all phenomena to a small number of general principles.
The true physicist is both an experimenter and a mathematician.
Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have.
The history of science is the true history of the human mind.
To understand is to perceive relationships.
The greatest discoveries often arise from a simple and careful observation of facts that everyone else has neglected.
The mind must be prepared by meditation before it can receive the light of a great truth.
In science, as in life, the most important victories are those won over oneself.
The laws of nature are the thoughts of God.
The electric current is a movement of electricity along a conductor.
All my life, I have had a passion for understanding the causes of things.
The unity of the physical forces is the grand idea that guides my researches.
The progress of science is slow, but it is sure.
A fact is a stubborn thing; it does not yield to our desires or our theories.
The true method of discovery is like the flight of an eagle: it does not proceed by leaps, but by a continuous and sustained movement.
I conceive of the sciences as a vast chain, whose links are interdependent.
To classify is to begin to understand.
The world is governed by number and form.
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge.
Contemporaries of André-Marie Ampère
Other Physicss born within 50 years of André-Marie Ampère (1775–1836).