Failures of James Clerk Maxwell
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James Clerk Maxwell presented his mathematical conceptualization of electromagnetic phenomena in a paper to the Cambridge Philosophical Society in 1855. This paper, "On Faraday's Lines of Force", was the first of three on the subject that Maxwell would pen in a ten-year span. The other two were "A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field" (presented to the Royal Society in December 1864) and "Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism" (written at his home at Glenlair and published 1873). His portrayal of electromagnetic forces as “fields” revolutionized physics. In giving a mathematical foundation to Faraday’s qualitative notion of lines-of-force, Maxwell provided a theoretical base for much of electrical engineering.
"A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field" elegantly explained all electromagnetic phenomena then known, as well as the propagation of light. It contained the equations that English physicist Oliver Heaviside would eventually simplify and which would become known as Maxwell’s Equations. Maxwell’s concept of the electromagnetic field was not at first universally accepted. Electrical engineers, 'electricians,' as they were then called, saw no value in the field concept to the practical development of electrical technology. It would take the efforts of the “Maxwellians,” most of who were physics professors, Heinrich Hertz’s experiments, and the mounting technical difficulties arising from alternating currents, before Maxwell’s theory would gain universal acceptance. Maxwell's equations were designated as an IEEE Milestone in August 2009.
Maxwell was one of the great scientific minds of the 19th century. In addition to his groundbreaking work in electrodynamics, Maxwell created the field of statistical mechanics, and did pioneering work in the theory of color and color perception. The latter interest led to Maxwell’s making what many consider to be the first color photograph in 1861. His keen mind moved back and forth easily between science and culture. His best-known discoveries concern the relationship between electricity and magnetism and are summarized in what has become known as, which have become a major underpinning of modern physics. In addition to this work Maxwell also made significant contributions in other areas. He did extensive work and research on the kinetic theory of gases, and the nature of Saturn’s rings.