THOMAS YOUNG

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THOMAS YOUNG

• a brief biographical sketch by
• Carl J. Wenning

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Thomas Young

• English physicist and physician
• Born Milverton, Somerset, June 13, 1773
• Died London, May 10, 1829

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Most notable accomplishments

• Concluded light a transverse wave
• Determined wave-lengths of visible light
• Showed lights phase inversion upon reflection
• Explained aberration of starlight

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Double-Slit Experiment

• Dont confuse interference (regularly spaced
  pattern of constant brightness) with diffraction
  (imposes a sinusoidal pattern of diminishing
  brightness).

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Conservation of Energy

• Among first to understand the concept of
  conservation of energy.
• Provided empirical basis for definition of
  kinetic energy.