Physics
- June 14 - Johannes Diderik van der Waals defends his thesis, Over de Continuiteit van den Gas en Vloeistoftoestand ("On the continuity of the gaseous and liquid state") at Leiden University. In this, he introduces the concepts of molecular volume and molecular attraction; gives a semi-quantitative description of the phenomena of condensation and critical temperatures; and derives the van der Waals equation.
- September 22 - James Clerk Maxwell delivers a discourse on molecules to the British Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Bradford.
- James Clerk Maxwell's A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism first presents the partial differential equations known as Maxwell's equations which form the foundation of classical electrodynamics, optics, and electric circuits.
- Frederick Guthrie is the first to report observing thermionic emission.
Read more about this topic: 1873 In Science
Famous quotes containing the word physics:
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—Tennessee Claflin (1846–1923)
“The fundamental laws of physics do not describe true facts about reality. Rendered as descriptions of facts, they are false; amended to be true, they lose their explanatory force.”
—Nancy Cartwright (b. 1945)
“He who is conversant with the supernal powers will not worship these inferior deities of the wind, waves, tide, and sunshine. But we would not disparage the importance of such calculations as we have described. They are truths in physics because they are true in ethics.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)