William Rowan Hamilton

Summary

William Rowan Hamilton is a human^[1]. He was born in Dublin^[2]. He was born on August 4, 1805^[3]. He passed away in Dublin^[4]. He died on September 2, 1865^[5]. He worked as a mathematician^[6], physicist^[7], astronomer^[8], university teacher^[9], and theoretical physicist^[10]. He ranks in the top 0.69% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,232 views/month, #6,942 of 1,000,298).^[11]

Key Facts

• William Rowan Hamilton was born in Dublin^[2].
• William Rowan Hamilton died in Dublin^[4].
• William Rowan Hamilton was born on August 4, 1805^[3].
• William Rowan Hamilton died on September 2, 1865^[5].
• Burial took place at Mount Jerome Cemetery^[12].
• William Rowan Hamilton's father was Archibald Rowan-Hamilton^[13].
• Among William Rowan Hamilton's spouses was Helen Maria Bayly^[14].
• A child of William Rowan Hamilton was William Edwin Hamilton^[15].
• William Rowan Hamilton held citizenship in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland^[16].
• William Rowan Hamilton worked as a mathematician^[6].
• William Rowan Hamilton worked as a physicist^[7].
• William Rowan Hamilton's professions included astronomer^[8].
• William Rowan Hamilton's professions included university teacher^[9].
• William Rowan Hamilton's professions included theoretical physicist^[10].
• William Rowan Hamilton's field of work was mathematics^[17].
• William Rowan Hamilton's field of work was mechanics^[18].
• William Rowan Hamilton's field of work was astronomy^[19].
• William Rowan Hamilton's field of work was physics^[20].
• William Rowan Hamilton's field of work was mathematical physics^[21].
• William Rowan Hamilton's field of work was optics^[22].
• William Rowan Hamilton held the position of Royal Astronomer of Ireland^[23].
• William Rowan Hamilton was employed by Trinity College, Dublin^[24].
• William Rowan Hamilton was employed by Dunsink Observatory^[25].
• William Rowan Hamilton was educated at Trinity College, Dublin^[26].
• A notable work attributed to William Rowan Hamilton is Hamilton's principle^[27].

Body

Origins and Family

William Rowan Hamilton's place of birth was Dublin^[2]. He was born on August 4, 1805^[3]. His father was Archibald Rowan-Hamilton^[13].

Education

William Rowan Hamilton's education included a stint at Trinity College, Dublin^[26]. Academic degrees include Bachelor of Arts^[28] and Master of Arts^[29]. He studied under John Brinkley^[30].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician^[6], physicist^[7], astronomer^[8], university teacher^[9], and theoretical physicist^[10]. Fields of work include mathematics^[17], an academic discipline^[31]; mechanics^[18], a branch of physics^[32]; astronomy^[19], a branch of science^[33]; physics^[20], a branch of science^[34]; mathematical physics^[21], a branch of mathematics^[35]; and optics^[22], a branch of physics^[36]. Employers include Trinity College, Dublin^[24], a collegiate university^[37], in Ireland^[38], founded in 1592^[39], headquartered in Dublin^[40] and Dunsink Observatory^[25], an astronomical observatory^[41], in Ireland^[42]. William Rowan Hamilton held the position of Royal Astronomer of Ireland^[23].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Hamilton's principle^[27], On the osculating twisted cubic to a curve of double curvature^[43], VIII. Second theorem of algebraic elimination, connected with the question of the possibility of resolving, in finite terms, equations of the Fifth degree^[44], XCI. Theorem respecting algebraic elimination, connected with the question of the possibility of resolving in finite terms the general equation of the fifth degree. Extracted by permission, from a communication recently made to the Royal Iris^[45], quaternion^[46], and Hamiltonian mechanics^[47]. Things named for William Rowan Hamilton include Hamilton's principle^[48], a principle^[49]; Hamiltonian system^[50], a concept in physics^[51]; Hamiltonian matrix^[52]; Hamiltonian graph^[53]; hypohamiltonian graph^[54]; Hamiltonian group^[55]; Hamilton^[56], an impact crater^[57]; and Hamiltonian operator^[58].

Recognition

Awards received include Royal Medal^[59], a science award^[60], in United Kingdom^[61], founded in 1826^[62]; Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences^[63], a fellowship award^[64]; and Cunningham Medal^[65], a science award^[66], in Ireland^[67], founded in 1796^[68].

Personal Life

Among William Rowan Hamilton's spouses was Helen Maria Bayly^[14]. A child of him was William Edwin Hamilton^[15]. His religion is recorded as Anglicanism^[69].

Death and Burial

William Rowan Hamilton died on September 2, 1865^[5]. He died in Dublin^[4]. Burial took place at Mount Jerome Cemetery^[12].

Why It Matters

William Rowan Hamilton ranks in the top 0.69% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (1,232 views/month, #6,942 of 1,000,298).^[11] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.^[70] He is known by 13 alternative names across languages and contexts.^[71]

He has been cited as an influence by Alexander Macfarlane^[72], a mathematician^[73], 1851–1913^[74], of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland^[75], awarded the Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh^[76].

He is credited with the discovery of quaternion^[77], founded in 1843^[78] and Hamiltonian mechanics^[79], a theory^[80]. Entities named for him include Hamilton's principle^[48], a principle^[49]; Hamiltonian system^[50], a concept in physics^[51]; Hamiltonian matrix^[52]; Hamiltonian graph^[53]; hypohamiltonian graph^[54]; and Hamiltonian group^[55].

FAQs

Where was William Rowan Hamilton born?

Born in Dublin^[2], William Rowan Hamilton…

Where did William Rowan Hamilton die?

William Rowan Hamilton died in Dublin^[4].

Who were William Rowan Hamilton's parents?

William Rowan Hamilton's father was Archibald Rowan-Hamilton^[13].

Who was William Rowan Hamilton married to?

William Rowan Hamilton's spouses include Helen Maria Bayly^[14].

What did William Rowan Hamilton do for work?

William Rowan Hamilton worked as mathematician^[6], physicist^[7], astronomer^[8], university teacher^[9], and theoretical physicist^[10].

Where did William Rowan Hamilton go to school?

William Rowan Hamilton was educated at Trinity College, Dublin^[26].

What awards did William Rowan Hamilton receive?

Honors received include Royal Medal^[59], Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences^[63], and Cunningham Medal^[65].

Who did William Rowan Hamilton influence?

William Rowan Hamilton has been cited as an influence by Alexander Macfarlane^[72].

What did William Rowan Hamilton discover?

William Rowan Hamilton is credited as discoverer of quaternion^[77] and Hamiltonian mechanics^[79].