Scientists throughout History: Kinetic Energy and

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Scientists throughout HistoryKinetic Energy and
Émilie du Châtelet

• Rebecca Wenning

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Part I

• Historical background

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Sir Isaac Newton

• 1642-1727
• Discourse on vis viva (today known as energy)
• Newton believed
• E ? mv
• Dutch scientist performed experiments with metal
  cylinders and lard
• E ? v2
• Who was correct?

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Émilie du Châtelet

• 1706-1749 Only recently recognized by French
  National Library on her 300th birthday

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Émilie du Châtelet

• Fortunately for her, Émilies husband, 15 years
  older, disinterested in science and always away
  soldiering, allowed Émilie her boyish ways with
  books and studying.

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In the Meanwhile

• In the year 1733 I met a young lady who happened
  to think nearly as I did.
• Everything about her is noble, her countenance,
  her tastesher politeness.

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François Marie Arouet

• Voltaire
• 1694-1778
• Interested in science
• Studied Isaac Newton
• Familiar with visa viva

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Cirey

• From 1734 until Émilies death in 1734, she and
  Voltaire lived together as friends (with the
  approval of her husband).

Worked hard Partied hard
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Exile

• Voltaire angered French government with his
  political writings
• Fled to Holland from
• political persecution
• Saw work of Dutch scientist

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The Experiment

• Following Voltaires trip to Holland, Voltaire
  explains to Émilie the energy experiment he saw.
• She is already busy
• Mathematical, philosophical, and religious papers
• Paper on nature of fire (would have won
  competition had she not been a woman)
• Paper on color (discovered infrared radiation)
• First translation of Newtons Principia

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Dutch Experiment

• Kinetic energy seems to have something to do with
  m and v.
• Newton KE ? mv
• Dutch but KE ? v2
• WHO IS RIGHT?

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Part II

• Experimentation

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Dutch Experiment
KE ( drops)
KE ( drops)
Velocity
Mass
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Close of an Epoch

• Émilie performs the experiment and determines
  that Emv2, not Emv.
• At 42, she becomes pregnant, but becomes ill with
  an infection and died before giving birth.
• I have losthalf of myself, a soul for which my
  soul seems to have been made. Voltaire

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Improvements

• Sir Thomas Young performed the same experiment as
  that of the Dutch scientist and Émilie.
• Changed vis viva to be called energy
• Determined final form of the equation
• KE(1/2)mv2

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Issues to Consider I

• Who got credit for KE equation? Who should have
  gotten it?
• In which instances of life was Émilie oppressed
  as a woman scientist?
• Who were the people and what were the contexts
  under which she was oppressed?

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Issues to Consider II

• Beyond fairness issues, what are the negative
  consequences of oppression of any minority group
  in science?
• Have you ever felt oppressed in science? When?
  Why?

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Issues to Consider III

• According to S E statistics, is there still
  likely oppression of women?
• What are some of the institutions and contexts
  under which women are oppressed?
• Are there any other minority groups in
• S E that are oppressed?

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Issues to Consider IV

• What are the solutions to oppression of
  minorities (females, in particular) in
• S E?
• Are solutions actually needed? Maybe fewer women
  want S E careers -- should there be 50-50
  percentage rates?