William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin

Summary

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin is a human^[1]. His place of birth was Belfast^[2]. He passed away in Largs^[3]. He worked as a physicist^[4], astronomer^[5], mathematician^[6], university teacher^[7], and politician^[8]. He ranks in the top 0.64% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (4,115 views/month, #6,414 of 1,000,298).^[9]

Key Facts

• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's place of birth was Belfast^[2].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin died in Largs^[3].
• Burial took place at Westminster Abbey^[10].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's father was James Thomson^[11].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's mother was Margaret Gardiner^[12].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin was married to Margaret Crum^[13].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin was married to Frances Anna Blandy^[14].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin held citizenship in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland^[15].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin worked as a physicist^[4].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's professions included astronomer^[5].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's professions included mathematician^[6].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's professions included university teacher^[7].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's professions included politician^[8].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin worked as a writer^[16].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's field of work was physics^[17].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's field of work was mechanics^[18].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's field of work was thermodynamics^[19].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin held the position of Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom^[20].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin held the position of President of the Royal Society^[21].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin held the position of member of the House of Lords^[22].
• Among William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's employers was University of Glasgow^[23].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin was employed by Peterhouse^[24].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin was educated at University of Glasgow^[25].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's education included a stint at Peterhouse^[26].
• William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin was educated at University of Cambridge^[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Born in Belfast^[2], William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin… his father was James Thomson^[11]. His mother was Margaret Gardiner^[12].

Education

Educated at University of Glasgow^[25], a public research university^[28], in United Kingdom^[29], founded in 1451^[30], headquartered in Glasgow^[31]; Peterhouse^[26], a college of the University of Cambridge^[32], in United Kingdom^[33], founded in 1284^[34]; University of Cambridge^[27], a collegiate university^[35], in United Kingdom^[36], founded in 1209^[37], headquartered in Cambridge^[38]; and Royal Belfast Academical Institution^[39], a grammar school^[40], in United Kingdom^[41], founded in 1810^[42]. William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's doctoral advisor was William Hopkins^[43].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include physicist^[4], astronomer^[5], mathematician^[6], university teacher^[7], politician^[8], and writer^[16]. Fields of work include physics^[17], a branch of science^[44]; mechanics^[18], a branch of physics^[45]; and thermodynamics^[19], a branch of physics^[46]. Employers include University of Glasgow^[23], a public research university^[47], in United Kingdom^[48], founded in 1451^[49], headquartered in Glasgow^[50] and Peterhouse^[24], a college of the University of Cambridge^[51], in United Kingdom^[52], founded in 1284^[53]. Positions held include Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom^[20], a position^[54], in United Kingdom^[55]; President of the Royal Society^[21], a position^[56], in United Kingdom^[57], founded in 1662^[58]; and member of the House of Lords^[22], a position^[59], in United Kingdom^[60], founded in 1801^[61]. William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin supervised Robert Mond as a doctoral student^[62].

Recognition

Awards received include Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order^[63], a civil decoration^[64], in Prussia^[65], founded in 1842^[66]; Fellow of the Royal Society^[67]; Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order^[68]; Copley Medal^[69]; Royal Medal^[70]; and Poncelet Prize^[71].

Personal Life

Spouses include Margaret Crum^[13] and Frances Anna Blandy^[14], 1837–1916^[72]. William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's religion is recorded as Christianity^[73]. Political affiliations include Liberal Party^[74], a political party^[75], in United Kingdom^[76], founded in 1859^[77] and Liberal Unionist Party^[78], a political party^[79], in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland^[80], founded in 1886^[81], headquartered in London^[82].

Death and Burial

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin died in Largs^[3]. He is buried at Westminster Abbey^[10].

Works and Contributions

Things named for William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin include kelvin^[83], Joule–Thomson effect^[84], Kelvinator^[85], Kelvin–Helmholtz instability^[86], Kelvin wave^[87], Kelvin–Voigt material^[88], Kelvin probe force microscope^[89], and Kelvin Water Dropper^[90].

Why It Matters

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin ranks in the top 0.64% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (4,115 views/month, #6,414 of 1,000,298).^[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 29 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.^[91] He is known by 81 alternative names across languages and contexts.^[92]

He is credited with the discovery of Kelvin Water Dropper^[93], an electrical generator^[94], founded in 1867^[95]; Kelvin's circulation theorem^[96], a theorem^[97]; hydrodynamical helicity^[98]; and ampere balance^[99], a scientific instrument^[100]. Entities named for him include kelvin^[83], Joule–Thomson effect^[84], Kelvinator^[85], Kelvin–Helmholtz instability^[86], Kelvin wave^[87], and Kelvin–Voigt material^[88].

His notable doctoral advisees include Robert Mayer^[101], a physicist^[102], 1814–1878^[103], of Kingdom of Württemberg^[104], awarded the Copley Medal^[105], specialised in physics^[106] and Robert Mond^[107].

FAQs

Where was William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin born?

Born in Belfast^[2], William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin…

Where did William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin die?

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin passed away in Largs^[3].

Who were William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's parents?

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's father was James Thomson^[11]. William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's mother was Margaret Gardiner^[12].

Who was William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin married to?

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin's spouses include Margaret Crum^[13] and Frances Anna Blandy^[14].

What did William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin do for work?

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin worked as physicist^[4], astronomer^[5], mathematician^[6], university teacher^[7], and politician^[8].

Where did William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin go to school?

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin was educated at University of Glasgow^[25], Peterhouse^[26], University of Cambridge^[27], and Royal Belfast Academical Institution^[39].

What awards did William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin receive?

Honors received include Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order^[63], Fellow of the Royal Society^[67], Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order^[68], and Copley Medal^[69].

What did William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin discover?

William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin is credited as discoverer of Kelvin Water Dropper^[93], Kelvin's circulation theorem^[96], hydrodynamical helicity^[98], and ampere balance^[99].