This document profiles 26 prominent physicists and their contributions to the field of physics. It lists their names and provides 1-2 sentences summarizing each individual's key discoveries or areas of research. Some of the physicists profiled include Pascal, Coulomb, Dalton, Mach, Huygens, Bernoulli, Ohm, Newton, Maxwell, Planck, Einstein, and Tesla.

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Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and
astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is
regarded as one of the leading
scientists in classical antiquity.
Discovered that pressure
applied to an enclosed fluid
is transmitted undiminished
to every part of the fluid and
to the walls of its container
(Pascal's principle).
Made the first terrestrial measurement of the speed of light;
invented one of the first interferometers; took the first pictures of the Sun on daguerreotypes.
Co-discovered that intensity
of magnetic field set up by a
current flowing through a
wire varies inversely with the
distance from the wire.
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The first American physicist; characterized two kinds
of electric charge, which he
named ``positive'' and
``negative''.
Developed hypothesis that
all gases at same volume,
pressure, and temperature
contain same number of
atoms.
Studied conditions that occur when an object moves
through a fluid at high
speed. Proposed ``Mach's
principle,'' which states that the inertia of an object is
due to the interaction between the object and the rest
of the universe .
Pioneer in study of electricity; invented the first electric
battery.
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Proposed a simple geometrical
wave theory of light, now
known as ``Huygen's principle''; pioneered use of the pendulum in clocks.
Developed the fundamental
relationship of fluid flow
now known as Bernoulli's
principle.
Performed fundamental observations, experiments, and
mathematical analyses in astronomy and physics; discovered mountains and craters on
the moon, and other planets.
Discovered that current flow
is proportional to potential
difference and inversely
proportional to resistance
(Ohm's law).
Developed theories of gravitation and mechanics, and invented differential calculus.
Best known for his Three
Invented the modern condensing steam engine and a centrifugal governor.
Hypothesized foreshortening
of moving bodies (LorentzFitzGerald contraction) to
explain the result of the Michelson-Morley experiment.
Developed first law of thermodynamics, a statement of
conservation of energy
Laws of Motion.
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Developed empirical formula to describe hydrogen
spectrum
Established the differential equation governing
heat diffusion and solved
it by devising an infinite
series of sine and cosines capable of approximating a wide variety of functions .
Propounded the theory of
electromagnetism; developed the kinetic theory of
gases
Liquified nitrogen and
invented the Dewar flask,
which is critical for lowtemperature work.
English physicist who discovered the law of elasticity,
known as Hooke's law, and
who did research in a remarka-
Contributed to the fields of
hydraulics and hydrodynamics; developed mathematical
framework for turbulence and
introduced the ``Reynolds
number,'' which provides a criterion for dynamic
similarity and correct
modeling in many fluidflow experiments .
Made fundamental contributions to fluid dynamics, lunar
orbit theory (tides), and mechanics; also contributed prolifically to all areas of classical
mathematics.
Contributed to the development of electromagnetism;
introduced operational calculus
and invented the modern notation for vector calculus.
ble variety of fields.
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Developed the principle of
least action and the Hamiltonian form of classical
mechanics.
Studied light and color;
known for his double-slit
experiment that demonstrated the wave nature of
light.
Developed a carbon-filament
incandescent light; patented
the carbon process for printing photographs in permanent
pigment.
Developed sensitive magnetometers; worked in
electrodynamics and the
electrical structure of matter.
Tesla is credited with
inventing modern radio.
The Tesla coil, invented
in 1891, is still used in
radio and television sets
and other electronic
equipment. In total, Nikola Telsa was granted
more than one hundred patents and invented
countless unpatented inventions. In 1885,
George Westinghouse, head of the Westinghouse Electric Company, bought the patent
rights to Tesla's system of dynamos, transformers and motors. Nikola Tesla was Thomas Edison's rival at the end of the 19th century. In fact, he was more famous than Edison
throughout the 1890's.
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A German-born theoretical physicist who developed the general theory of relativity, one of
the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics).
While best known for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2 (which has been
dubbed "the world's most famous equation"),
he received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics
"for his services to theoretical physics, and
especially for his discovery of the law of the
photoelectric effect". The latter was pivotal in
establishing quantum theory.
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