Lord Rayleigh a.k.a. John William Strutt

John William Strutt Born: 12 Nov 1842 in Langford Grove (near Maldon), Essex, England Born: 12 Nov 1842 in Langford Grove (near Maldon), Essex, England Parents were wealthy landowners and agriculturally inclined (7000 acres) Parents were wealthy landowners and agriculturally inclined (7000 acres) Was a sickly child, often having to interrupt formal education to recover from illness Was a sickly child, often having to interrupt formal education to recover from illness

Education After a short spell at Eton at the age of 10, mainly spent in the school sanatorium (health center), three years in a private school at Wimbledon, and another short stay at Harrow, he finally spent four years with the Rev. George Townsend Warner (1857) who took pupils at Torquay. In 1861 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, where he commenced reading mathematics. He graduated in the Mathematical Tripos in 1865 as Senior Wrangler and Smith's Prizeman. In 1866 he obtained a fellowship at Trinity which he held until 1871, the year of his marriage. After a short spell at Eton at the age of 10, mainly spent in the school sanatorium (health center), three years in a private school at Wimbledon, and another short stay at Harrow, he finally spent four years with the Rev. George Townsend Warner (1857) who took pupils at Torquay. In 1861 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, where he commenced reading mathematics. He graduated in the Mathematical Tripos in 1865 as Senior Wrangler and Smith's Prizeman. In 1866 he obtained a fellowship at Trinity which he held until 1871, the year of his marriage. Trinity College Cambridge Trinity College Cambridge

Lord Rayleigh Married Evelyn Balfour in 1871, daughter of James Maitland Balfour, a future Prime Minister Married Evelyn Balfour in 1871, daughter of James Maitland Balfour, a future Prime Minister Title comes from being the third Baron Rayleigh (not exactly sure what that means other than he was rich) Title comes from being the third Baron Rayleigh (not exactly sure what that means other than he was rich) Succeeded to the title at 30 years of age after fathers death (1873) Succeeded to the title at 30 years of age after fathers death (1873) They had three sons, the eldest of whom became Professor of Physics at Imperial College of Science and Technology, London They had three sons, the eldest of whom became Professor of Physics at Imperial College of Science and Technology, LondonImperial College of Science and TechnologyImperial College of Science and Technology Died: 30 June 1919 in Terling Place, Witham, Essex, England Died: 30 June 1919 in Terling Place, Witham, Essex, England

Contributions He was good at managing the family land, but in 1876 he left that to his brother so he could pursue scientific research He was good at managing the family land, but in 1876 he left that to his brother so he could pursue scientific research 1877 Published The Theory of Sound 1877 Published The Theory of Sound 1896 Isolated the element Argon, introducing it to the scientific world Isolated the element Argon, introducing it to the scientific world. Published many papers and had a knack for explaining science in a way that made sense to the common man (ex: Insects and the colour of flowers (1874), On the irregular flight of a tennis ball (1877), The soaring of birds (1883), The sailing flight of the albatross (1889), and The problem of the Whispering Gallery (1910)) Published many papers and had a knack for explaining science in a way that made sense to the common man (ex: Insects and the colour of flowers (1874), On the irregular flight of a tennis ball (1877), The soaring of birds (1883), The sailing flight of the albatross (1889), and The problem of the Whispering Gallery (1910))

Awards Lord Rayleigh, a former Chancellor of Cambridge University, was a Justice of the Peace and the recipient of honorary science and law degrees. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society (1873) and served as Secretary from 1885 to 1896, and as President from 1905 to He was an original recipient of the Order of Merit (1902), and in 1905 he was made a Privy Councillor. He was awarded the Copley, Royal, and Rumford Medals of the Royal Society, and the Nobel Prize for 1904, "for his investigations of the densities of the most important gases and for his discovery of argon in connection with these studies" Lord Rayleigh, a former Chancellor of Cambridge University, was a Justice of the Peace and the recipient of honorary science and law degrees. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society (1873) and served as Secretary from 1885 to 1896, and as President from 1905 to He was an original recipient of the Order of Merit (1902), and in 1905 he was made a Privy Councillor. He was awarded the Copley, Royal, and Rumford Medals of the Royal Society, and the Nobel Prize for 1904, "for his investigations of the densities of the most important gases and for his discovery of argon in connection with these studies"Royal SocietyNobel PrizeRoyal SocietyNobel Prize

... It is a good rule in experimental work to seek to magnify a discrepancy when it first appears rather than to follow the natural instinct to trying to get quit of it. - Lord Rayleigh

References - nobelprize.org/physics/laureates/1904/strutt-bio.html - nobelprize.org/physics/laureates/1904/strutt-bio.html - www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Rayleigh.html - www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Rayleigh.html