Talk:Lord Kelvin

Thermodynamics missing

His contributions to thermodynamics are missing.

The observation under "luddite" in this discussion needs to be addressed. He does not seem to be against progress ... quite the contrary. However he does reflect the scientific complacence that was setting into nineteenth century Physics due to crowning successes of Newton, Hamilton, Maxwell ... and most importatly the science of Thermodynamics to which Thompson was himself a pioneering contributor.

His remark was more like "All the laws of Physics are now known. It only remains to make more precise measurements". He was of course in for a rude shock if he lived into the next century beyond the first decade.

Considering his zealous support for practial and applicable nature of science his condescending remark "In science there is Physics. All otehr is stamp collection". Of course the nature of Botany and Zoology in his time perhaps reflcted that.

Thus some of his strong opinions need to cast in the context of his times ...

His more sanguine remark seems to be "We have the sober scientific certainty that the heavens and earth shall 'wax old as doth a garment" Refer the link at zapatopi

--Yajnikiitb 2 July 2005 05:59 (UTC)

English ...?

He was "petted by older students"? I wonder if that's some local dialect that could be translated into something like standard English? Michael Hardy 01:46 Feb 16, 2003 (UTC)

As per the Wikipedia naming conventions, the page ought to be at William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin. Several individuals know Sir William as Lord Kelvin, so I cannot submit the objection that the title of a commoner is much more well-known than that of a peer in the case of Lord Kelvin. -- Lord Emsworth 15:40, Jan 4, 2004 (UTC)

It's very confusing now. He is referred to by 3 different names with no explanation of Baron vs. Lord. Doesn't everyone know him as Lord Kelvin?Bhny 18:35, 15 September 2005 (UTC)

Source

Much of this text originally came from the book Heroes of the Telegraph by John Munro, available at Project Gutenberg: [1]. Lupo 14:16, 12 Aug 2004 (UTC)

a luddite?

When I watched the comedy movie "Around the world in eighty days" by Jackie Chan, the Lord Kelvin portraited in the movie was against scientific advances. He made comments like "Whatever scientific discovery needed by mankind was already found". Then the movie director's commentary said that this character was based on the real person and his ridiculous comments and views. The movie purposely ridiculed him for what he was. Though it is POV to judge on his personality and belief, it would be neutral to quote some of his views here in this article. Kowloonese 23:39, Dec 29, 2004 (UTC)

Well, certainly a Jackie Chan movie is an authoratative source of unassailable integrity, so that's good enough for me. Also, don't forget the information on Charlie Chaplin that can be gleaned from "Shanghai Knights". --P3d0 18:33, May 12, 2005 (UTC)

Tide predicting machine

We have a picture of an alleged tide predicting machine with no mention in the article body itself. --P3d0 18:14, May 12, 2005 (UTC)

Heritage

Would not he be considered Scottish, rather than Irish? Anglius

This bothers me too. We have here an Irish Glaswegian! It think that Irish-Scottish is probably right. Cutler 23:50, July 24, 2005 (UTC)

I thank you, Mr. Cutler, for having written that. --Anglius 17:43, 25 July 2005 (UTC)

Extra content

I found this text hidden in a comment at the end of the article! Bizarre!

I feel that as much of the technical detail as possible sould go to transatlantic telegraph cable (an article needing attention) while trying to keep Thomson as self-contained as possible.

< !-- More detail which belongs elsewhere It was known that the conductor should be of copper, possessing a high conductivity for the electric current, and that its insulating jacket of gutta-percha should offer a great resistance to the leakage of the current. Moreover, experience had shown that the protecting sheath or armour of the core should be light and flexible as well as strong, in order to resist external violence and allow it to be lifted for repair. There was another consideration, however, which at this time was rather a puzzle. As early as 1823, Francis Ronalds had observed that electric signals were retarded in passing through an insulated wire or core laid under ground, and the same effect was noticeable on cores immersed in water, and particularly on the lengthy cable between England and the Hague. Faraday showed that it was caused by induction between the electricity in the wire and the earth or water surrounding it. A core, in fact, is an attenuated Leyden jar; the wire of the core, its insulating jacket, and the soil or water around it stand respectively for the inner tinfoil, the glass, and the outer tinfoil of the jar. -->

Cutler 07:38, July 27, 2005 (UTC)

Moved content to Submarine communications cable or deleted as duplicated. Cutler 15:56, July 27, 2005 (UTC)

"Fears were realized" confusing paragraph

I was confused by this paragraph, mainly by the first sentence because it stated earlier that Thomson did experiments to find better ways of doing things for the cable went head-to-head with Whitehouse before on it. Why would his "fears be realized" when a comparative study showed that his experiments actually were better than Whitehouse's?

"Thomson's fears were realised and Whitehouse's apparatus proved insufficiently sensitive and had to be replaced by Thomson's mirror galvanometer. Whitehouse continued to maintain that it was his equipment that was providing the service and started to engage in desperate measures to remedy some of the problems. He only succeded in fatally damaging the cable by applying 2,000 V. When the cable failed completely Whitehouse was dismissed, though Thomson objected and was reprimanded by the board for his interference. Thomson subsequently regretted that he had acquiesced too readily to many of Whitehouse's proposals and had not challenged him with sufficient energy"

President of Royal Society box

The President of the Royal Society box is confusing. Why are there two boxes each for preceded and succeeded, and what do "New Creation" and "Extinct" mean? This should be fixed or at least made a little more self-explanatory.--ragesoss 16:20, 8 January 2006 (UTC)

Now I see that it refers to his title of Baron, created for him and not passed down. But for people who happen upon this article without being familiar with the nobility boxes, it will seem like it is part of the royal society box (unlike Lister, where the boxes are separate).--ragesoss 16:23, 8 January 2006 (UTC)