Augustin-Jean Fresnel - Inventors & Discoverers, Timeline and Facts
Augustin-Jean Fresnel's Personal Details
Augustine-Jean Fresnel was a French physicist and engineer who made valuable contribution in the field of wave optics
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | May 10, 1788 |
| Died on | July 14, 1827 |
| Nationality | French |
| Famous | Inventors & Discoverers, Physicists |
| Universities |
|
| Discoveries / Inventions |
|
| Cause of death |
|
| Birth Place | Broglie (Eure) |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Augustine Mérimée |
| Mother | Jacques Fresnel |
| Sun Sign | Taurus |
| Born in | Broglie (Eure) |
| Famous as | Physicist |
| Died at Age | 39 |
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Augustin-Jean Fresnel's photo
Who is Augustin-Jean Fresnel?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel was a French physicist best remembered for his invention of compound lenses that transform the radiance of lighthouses and help save many ships from crashing into the rocks at sea. He developed formulas to elucidate refraction, double refraction, reflection and polarized light and also proved that light was a collection of transverse waves. The son of an architect, he grew up to be a brilliant student and received his education from École Polytechnique and École des Ponts et Chaussées. He embarked on a career as an engineer and began his research in optics. He researched on the diffraction of light and proposed the aether drag hypothesis in addition to many other discoveries and deductions. Building on the work of English physicist Thomas Young, he helped to establish the wave theory of light. But sadly, like most thinkers ahead of their time, Fresnel’s genius and extraordinary work in the field of optical science did not receive much recognition during his lifetime. Fresnel remained undeterred by this lack of appreciation and at all times remained focused on his research and work. Many of his theses and works were printed by the Académie des Sciences after several years of his passing.
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Childhood & Early Life
Born on May 10, 1788, Augustin-Jean Fresnel was son of Jacques Fresnel and Augustine Merimee. His father was an architect.
He was a slow learner as a child and was unable to read even when he was eight years old. He began his education in Ecole Centrale in Caen, after which he went to Ecole Polytechnique for higher secondary education and finally to Ecole des Ponts et Chausses, so that he could become a Civil Engineer.
Career
After graduation, Fresnel served for a short term as an army engineer but was decommissioned in 1814, as he supported Bourbons.
Fresnel began his research on optics in 1814. He conducted experiments and observations using his devices to study diffraction and interference fringes, which led him to believe that the ‘wave theory of light’ proposed by English physicist, Thomas Young, was right.
He presented his findings on the aberration of light to the French Academy of Sciences in 1815; though appreciated, the paper was never published. The same year, he was appointed as an engineer in Paris and spent most of his life there.
In 1816, Fresnel extended the work of Dutch physicist Christiaan Huygens and showed that Huygens' principle, together with his own principle of interference could explain both the rectilinear propagation of light and also diffraction effects.
He pioneered the construction of a unique kind of lens that replaced the use of mirrors in lighthouses and increased their functionality.
In 1817, Fresnel discovered circularly polarized light, which proved that light, in fact, was a transverse wave and not a longitudinal wave.
Fresnel was appointed as the commissioner of lighthouses, in 1819 and by 1821 he was able to show via mathematical methods that polarization could be explained only if light was entirely transverse, with no longitudinal vibration whatsoever.
He proposed the aether drag hypothesis stating that the aether is partially entrained by matter. His theory of an (almost) stationary aether predicts positive results by experiments which are sensitive enough to detect second order effects. However, his theory of aether has been refuted by experiments such as the Michelson–Morley experiment and the Trouton–Noble experiment which gave negative results.
He also collaborated with others in his work. Along with François Arago he studied the laws of the interference of polarized rays. Their work led to the discovery of the Fresnel–Arago laws which are three laws that summarize some of the more important properties of interference between light of different states of polarization.
Major Works
Augustin-Jean Fresnel invented the Fresnel lens for lighthouses, a type of compact lens that can be made much thinner than a comparable conventional lens. A Fresnel lens can capture more oblique light from a light source as they can be constructed with large aperture and short focal length.
Awards & Achievements
In 1819, he received the prize of the Académie des Sciences at Paris for his memoir on diffraction.
The Royal Society of London awarded him the Rumford Medal in 1827, shortly before his death.
Personal Life & Legacy
Fresnel came from a religious background. His family members were the followers of Catholic bishop, Cornelius Otto Jansen, and followed his ideology called the Jansensist values.
Fresnel suffered from poor health all his life and was often exhausted due to overwork. However, in spite of all this, he continued to perform his experiments and researches with great passion and determination throughout his life.
He passed away on July 14, 1827 after suffering from tuberculosis for a brief period.
Augustin-Jean Fresnel’s name has been memorialized along with 72 other names on the Eiffel Tower.
In his honor, an escarpment on the moon has been named ‘Rimae Fresnel’ along with ‘Promontorium Fresnel’.
Many of Augustin-Jean Fresnel’s writings were clubbed and presented in a book called 'Oeuvres completes d'Augustin Fresnel, Henri de Senaramont, Emile Verdet and Leonor Fresnel.
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Augustin-Jean Fresnel's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Other | ||
| 0 | 1827 - Rumford Medal | |
Augustin-Jean Fresnel biography timelines
- // 10th May 1788Born on May 10, 1788, Augustin-Jean Fresnel was son of Jacques Fresnel and Augustine Merimee. His father was an architect.
- // 1814After graduation, Fresnel served for a short term as an army engineer but was decommissioned in 1814, as he supported Bourbons.
- // 1814Fresnel began his research on optics in 1814. He conducted experiments and observations using his devices to study diffraction and interference fringes, which led him to believe that the ‘wave theory of light’ proposed by English physicist, Thomas Young, was right.
- // 1815He presented his findings on the aberration of light to the French Academy of Sciences in 1815; though appreciated, the paper was never published. The same year, he was appointed as an engineer in Paris and spent most of his life there.
- // 1816In 1816, Fresnel extended the work of Dutch physicist Christiaan Huygens and showed that Huygens' principle, together with his own principle of interference could explain both the rectilinear propagation of light and also diffraction effects.
- // 1817In 1817, Fresnel discovered circularly polarized light, which proved that light, in fact, was a transverse wave and not a longitudinal wave.
- // 1819Fresnel was appointed as the commissioner of lighthouses, in 1819 and by 1821 he was able to show via mathematical methods that polarization could be explained only if light was entirely transverse, with no longitudinal vibration whatsoever.
- // 1819In 1819, he received the prize of the Académie des Sciences at Paris for his memoir on diffraction.
- // 1827The Royal Society of London awarded him the Rumford Medal in 1827, shortly before his death.
- // 14th Jul 1827He passed away on July 14, 1827 after suffering from tuberculosis for a brief period.
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Augustin-Jean Fresnel's FAQ
What is Augustin-Jean Fresnel birthday?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel was born at 1788-05-10
When was Augustin-Jean Fresnel died?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel was died at 1827-07-14
Where was Augustin-Jean Fresnel died?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel was died in Ville-d'Avray (Hauts-de-Seine)
Which age was Augustin-Jean Fresnel died?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel was died at age 39
Where is Augustin-Jean Fresnel's birth place?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel was born in Broglie (Eure)
What is Augustin-Jean Fresnel nationalities?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel's nationalities is French
What was Augustin-Jean Fresnel universities?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel studied at École Polytechnique
What is Augustin-Jean Fresnel's inventions/discoveries?
Fresnel Lens was invented (or discovered) by Augustin-Jean Fresnel
What is Augustin-Jean Fresnel's cause of dead?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel dead because of Tuberculosis
Who is Augustin-Jean Fresnel's father?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel's father is Augustine Mérimée
Who is Augustin-Jean Fresnel's mother?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel's mother is Jacques Fresnel
What is Augustin-Jean Fresnel's sun sign?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel is Taurus
How famous is Augustin-Jean Fresnel?
Augustin-Jean Fresnel is famouse as Physicist