Guillaume Amontons (August 31, 1663 - October 11, 1705) was a French instrument inventor and physicist.

Guillaume was born in Paris, France. His father was a lawyer from Normandy who had moved to the French capital. While still young, Guillaume lost his hearing, which actually proved a blessing as he was able to focus entirely on science. He never attended a university, but was able to study mathematics, the physical sciences, and celestial mechanics. He also spent time studying the skills of drawing, surveying, and architecture.

He was supported in his research career by the government, and was employed in various public works projects. In 1690 he was accepted into the Académie des Sciences.

Among his contributions were improvements to the barometer (1695), hygrometer (1687), and thermometer (1695), particularly for use of these instruments at sea. He discovered the pressure-temperature gas law (see Graham's law). He also demonstrated an optical telegraph, and proposed the use of his Clepsydra (water clock) for keeping time on a ship at sea. He was the first to conceive of a concept of an absolute zero temperature, which was later established by Kelvin.

He died in Paris, France.

The Amontons crater on the Moon is named after him.

Bibliography

• Remarques et experiences physiques sur la construction d'une nouvelle clepsydre, 1695, Paris.

He also published numerous papers.

References

• Asimov's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, Isaac Asimov, Doubleday & Co., Inc., 1972, ISBN 0385177712.

External links

• The Galileo Project entry on which this biography is partly based.