Andrew Gray (physicist)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Gray was a Scottish physicist and mathematician.
Born in Lochgelly
, Fife, the son of John Gray, he was educated at Lochgelly School and studied at the University of Glasgow
(MA 1876), where he was appointed the Eglinton Fellow in Mathematics in 1876. Perhaps more significantly, however, in 1875 he became the assistant and private secretary of Professor William Thompson
(later Lord Kelvin). He held this post – an official University one after 1880 – until 1884, when he was appointed Professor of Physics at the newly-founded University College of North Wales.
In June 1896 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
He remained in Bangor
until 1899, when he returned to Glasgow
to become the Professor of Natural Philosophy
, succeeding Kelvin on his retirement. He held this chair for twenty-four years, stepping down in 1923, shortly before his death.
, dynamics and Bessel functions.
His FRS candidacy form itemised the following:
Born in Lochgelly
Lochgelly
Lochgelly is a town in Fife, Scotland. It is located between Lochs Ore and Gelly to the north-west and south-east respectively. It is separated from Cowdenbeath by the village of Lumphinnans. According to the 2007 population estimate, the town has a population of 6,834.-History:From the 1830s...
, Fife, the son of John Gray, he was educated at Lochgelly School and studied at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
(MA 1876), where he was appointed the Eglinton Fellow in Mathematics in 1876. Perhaps more significantly, however, in 1875 he became the assistant and private secretary of Professor William Thompson
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM, GCVO, PC, PRS, PRSE, was a mathematical physicist and engineer. At the University of Glasgow he did important work in the mathematical analysis of electricity and formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and did much to unify the emerging...
(later Lord Kelvin). He held this post – an official University one after 1880 – until 1884, when he was appointed Professor of Physics at the newly-founded University College of North Wales.
In June 1896 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
He remained in Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
until 1899, when he returned to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to become the Professor of Natural Philosophy
Professor of Natural Philosophy, Glasgow
The Chair of Natural Philosophy is a professorship at the University of Glasgow which was established in 1727The Nova Erectio of King James VI of Scotland shared the teaching of Moral Philosophy, Logic and Natural Philosophy among the Regents....
, succeeding Kelvin on his retirement. He held this chair for twenty-four years, stepping down in 1923, shortly before his death.
Publications
His major scientific publications included works on electromagnetismElectromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
, dynamics and Bessel functions.
His FRS candidacy form itemised the following:
- 'Absolute Measurements in Electricity and Magnetism (1889)
- 'Theory and Practice of Absolute Measurements in Electricity Magnetism' (vol i, 1888; vol ii, in two parts, 1893)
- 'A Treatise on Magnetism and Electricity
- 'On the Determination in Absolute Units of the Intensity of Powerful Magnetic Fields' (Phil Mag, 1883)
- 'On the Dynamical Theory of Electro-magnetic Action' (ibid, 1890)
- 'On the Calculation of the Induction Coefficients of Coils' (ibid, 1892)
- 'On a New Reflecting Galvanometer of great sensibility, and on New Forms of Astatic Galvanometers,' jointly with T Gray (Proc Roy Soc, 1884)
- 'On the Relation between the Electrical Qualities and the Chemical Composition of Glass and Allied Substances,' Part I, jointly with T Gray and J J Dobbie (Proc Roy Soc, 1884)
- 'On the Electro-magnetic Theory of the Rotation of the Plane of Polarized Light' (Rept Brit Assoc, 1891).