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{{Short description|French physicist (1810–1878)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox scientist
{{Infobox scientist
|name = Henri Victor Regnault
| name = Victor Regnault
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|ForMemRS|size=100%}}
|image =Henri Victor Regnault 1860s.jpg
| image = Henri Victor Regnault 1860s.jpg
|image_size =270px
|caption = Henri Victor Regnault
| caption = Regnault in the 1860s
| birth_name = Henri Victor Regnault
|birth_date = {{birth-date|df=yes|21 July 1810}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1810|07|21|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Aachen]]
| birth_place = [[Aix-la-Chapelle]], France
|death_date = {{death-date and age|19 January 1878|21 July 1810}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1878|01|19|1810|07|21|df=y}}
|death_place = [[Auteuil-Neuilly-Passy|Auteuil]] (now a part of Paris)
|residence =
| death_place = [[Paris]], France
⚫
| alma_mater = [[École Polytechnique]]
|citizenship =
|nationality = France
| children = [[Henri Regnault]]
|ethnicity =
| prizes = {{plainlist|
* [[Rumford Medal]] (1848)
⚫
|field = [[thermodynamics]]
* [[Copley Medal]] (1869)
|work_institutions =
* [[Matteucci Medal]] (1875)}}
⚫
|alma_mater = [[École Polytechnique]]
⚫
| field = [[Thermodynamics]]
|doctoral_advisor =
|doctoral_students =
|known_for =
|author_abbrev_bot =
|author_abbrev_zoo =
|influences = [[Justus von Liebig]]
|influenced = [[William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin|William Thomson]]
|prizes = [[Rumford Medal]] {{small|(1848)}}<br>[[Copley Medal]] {{small|(1869)}}<br>[[Matteucci Medal]] <small>(1875)</small>
|religion =
|footnotes =
|signature =
}}
}}


'''Henri Victor Regnault''' (21 July 1810 – 19 January 1878) was a French [[chemist]] and [[physicist]] best known for his careful measurements of the thermal properties of gases. He was an early [[thermodynamicist]] and was mentor to [[William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin|William Thomson]] in the late 1840s.
'''Henri Victor Regnault''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|ForMemRS}} (21 July 1810&nbsp;– 19 January 1878) was a French [[chemist]] and [[physicist]] best known for his careful measurements of the thermal properties of gases. He was an early [[thermodynamicist]] and was mentor to [[William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin|William Thomson]] in the late 1840s. He never used his first given name, and was known throughout his lifetime as Victor Regnault.


==Biography==
==Biography==
Born in [[Aachen]] in 1810, he moved to Paris at the age of eight, following the death of his parents. There, he worked for an upholstery firm until he was eighteen. In 1830, he was admitted to the [[École Polytechnique]], and in 1832 he graduated from the [[École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris|École des mines]].
Born in [[Aachen|Aix-la-Chapelle]] in 1810 (modern Aachen, Germany and at that time under French rule), he moved to Paris at the age of eight, following the death of his parents. There, he worked for an upholstery firm until he was eighteen. In 1830, he was admitted to the [[École Polytechnique]], and in 1832 he graduated from the [[École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris|École des mines]].


Working under [[Justus von Liebig]] at [[Gießen]], Regnault distinguished himself in the nascent field of [[organic chemistry]] by synthesizing several [[chlorine|chlorinated]] [[hydrocarbons]] (e.g. [[vinyl chloride]], [[polyvinylidene chloride]], [[dichloromethane]]), and he was appointed professor of chemistry at the University of [[Lyon]]. In 1840, he was appointed the chair of chemistry of the École Polytechnique, and in 1841, he became a professor of Physics in the [[Collège de France]].
Working under [[Justus von Liebig]] at [[Gießen]], Regnault distinguished himself in the nascent field of [[organic chemistry]] by synthesizing several [[chlorine|chlorinated]] [[hydrocarbons]] (e.g. [[vinyl chloride]] in 1835,<ref>Regnault, H.V. (1835) Sur la Composition de la Liqueur des Hollandais et sur une nouvelle Substance éthérée. Annales de Chimie et de Physique, Gay-Lussac &
Arago, Vol. 58, Paris, Crochard Libraire, 301–320 https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6569005x/f307.item.texteImage</ref> [[dichloromethane]] and perchloroethylene in 1839, [[1,1,1-Trichloroethane]] in 1838 or 1840), and he was appointed professor of chemistry at the University of [[Lyon]]. In 1840, he was appointed the chair of chemistry of the École Polytechnique, and in 1841, he became a professor of physics in the [[Collège de France]].


Beginning in 1843, he began compiling extensive numerical tables on the properties of steam. These were published in 1847, and led to his receiving the [[Rumford Medal]] of the [[Royal Society of London]] and appointment as [[Chief Engineer of Mines]]. In 1851 he was elected a foreign member of the [[Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences]]. In 1854 he was appointed director of the [[porcelain]] works at [[Sèvres]], the ''[[Manufacture nationale de Sèvres]]''.
Beginning in 1843, he began compiling extensive numerical tables on the properties of [[steam]]. These were published in 1847, and inspired [[Charles Algernon Parsons]] to develop the [[steam turbine]].<ref name=hamm>{{cite web |author1=Bill Hammack |title=Reclaiming Engineering in the Minds of the Public |url=https://engineerguy.com/axs/ax.pl?/white-papers/hammack-hoover-speech-aiche-2021-11-08.pdf |page=14 |date=8 November 2021}}</ref> Regnault received the [[Rumford Medal]] of the [[Royal Society of London]] and appointment as [[Chief Engineer of Mines]]. In 1851 he was elected a foreign member of the [[Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences]]. In 1854 he was appointed director of the [[porcelain]] works at [[Sèvres]], the ''[[Manufacture nationale de Sèvres]]''. In 1855, he was elected to the [[American Philosophical Society]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=APS Member History|url=https://search.amphilsoc.org/memhist/search?creator=Victor+Regnault&title=&subject=&subdiv=&mem=&year=&year-max=&dead=&keyword=&smode=advanced |access-date=2020-12-16|website=search.amphilsoc.org}}</ref>


At Sèvres, he continued work on the thermal properties of matter. He designed sensitive [[thermometer]]s, [[hygrometer]]s, [[hypsometer]]s and [[calorimeter]]s, and measured the [[specific heat]]s of many substances and the [[coefficient of thermal expansion]] of gases. In the course of this work, he discovered that not all gases expand equally when heated and that [[Boyle's Law]] is only an approximation, especially at temperatures near a substance's boiling point.
At Sèvres, he continued work on the thermal properties of matter. He designed sensitive [[thermometer]]s, [[hygrometer]]s, [[hypsometer]]s and [[calorimeter]]s, and measured the [[specific heat]]s of many substances and the [[coefficient of thermal expansion]] of gases. In the course of this work, he discovered that not all gases expand equally when heated and that [[Boyle's law]] is only an approximation, especially at temperatures near a substance's boiling point.


Regnault was also an avid amateur photographer. He introduced the use of [[pyrogallic acid]] as a developing agent, and was one of the first photographers to use paper negatives. In 1854, he became the founding president of the [[Société française de photographie]].
Regnault was also an avid amateur photographer. He introduced the use of [[pyrogallic acid]] as a developing agent, and was one of the first photographers to use paper negatives. In 1854, he became the founding president of the [[Société française de photographie]].
Line 45: Line 37:


==Legacy==
==Legacy==
The crater [[Regnault (crater)|Regnault]] on the [[Moon]] is named after Regnault, and his name is one of the [[List of the 72 names on the Eiffel Tower|72 names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower]]. Some have suggested that the symbol ''R'' for the [[ideal gas constant]] is also named after him.<ref name="Jensen">{{cite journal
The crater [[Regnault (crater)|Regnault]] on the [[Moon]] is named after Regnault, and his name is one of the [[List of the 72 names on the Eiffel Tower|72 names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower]]. Some have suggested that the symbol ''R'' for the [[ideal gas constant]] is also named after him.<ref name="Jensen">{{cite journal|author1-link=William B. Jensen
|url=http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/Journal/Issues/2003/Jul/PlusSub/V80N07/p731.pdf
|url=http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/Journal/Issues/2003/Jul/PlusSub/V80N07/p731.pdf
|title=The Universal Gas Constant ''R''
|title=The Universal Gas Constant ''R''
|last=Jensen
|last=Jensen
|first=William B.
|first=William B.
|journal=Chemical Education Today
|journal= Journal of Chemical Education
|volume= 80
|volume= 80
|issue= 7
|issue= 7
|date=July 2003
|date=July 2003
|pages=731}}</ref>
|pages=731|doi=10.1021/ed080p731
|bibcode=2003JChEd..80..731J
}}</ref>


He was the first president of [[Société française de photographie]].
He was the first president of [[Société française de photographie]].

The French {{Sclass|Lagrange|submarine}} [[French submarine Regnault|''Regnault'']], built between 1913 and 1924 was named for him.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gardiner |first1=Robert |last2=Gray |first2=Randal |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 |date=1985 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |isbn=978-0-85177-245-5 |page=212}}</ref>


==Works==
==Works==
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==References==
==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{Commons category}}
⚫
{{reflist}}

{{Wikisource1913CatholicEnc|Henri Victor Regnault}}
{{Wikisource1913CatholicEnc|Henri Victor Regnault}}
⚫
{{reflist}}


{{Copley Medallists 1851-1900}}
{{Copley Medallists 1851-1900}}
{{EarlyFrenchPhotographers}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Regnault, Henri Victor}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Regnault, Henri Victor}}
⚫
[[Category:French chemists]]
⚫
[[Category:French photographers]]
⚫
[[Category:French physicists]]
[[Category:1810 births]]
[[Category:1810 births]]
[[Category:1878 deaths]]
[[Category:1878 deaths]]
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[[Category:19th-century French chemists]]
⚫
[[Category:19th-century French physicists]]
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[[Category:French Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Thermodynamicists]]
[[Category:Thermodynamicists]]
[[Category:Collège de France faculty]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the Collège de France]]
[[Category:École Polytechnique alumni]]
[[Category:École Polytechnique alumni]]
[[Category:Mines ParisTech alumni]]
[[Category:Mines Paris - PSL alumni]]
[[Category:Corps des mines]]
[[Category:Corps des mines]]
[[Category:People from Aachen]]
[[Category:People from Aachen]]
[[Category:People from the Rhine Province]]
[[Category:Scientists from the Rhine Province]]
[[Category:Foreign Members of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:Foreign members of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Members of the French Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Members of the French Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Corresponding Members of the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Corresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Copley Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Copley Medal]]
[[Category:19th-century French photographers]]
[[Category:19th-century French photographers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Matteucci Medal]]
[[Category:Members of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala]]

Latest revision as of 19:43, 9 December 2024

Victor Regnault
ForMemRS
Regnault in the 1860s
Born
Henri Victor Regnault

(1810-07-21)21 July 1810
Aix-la-Chapelle, France
Died19 January 1878(1878-01-19) (aged 67)
Paris, France
Alma materÉcole Polytechnique
ChildrenHenri Regnault
Awards
Scientific career
FieldsThermodynamics

Henri Victor Regnault ForMemRS (21 July 1810 – 19 January 1878) was a French chemist and physicist best known for his careful measurements of the thermal properties of gases. He was an early thermodynamicist and was mentor to William Thomson in the late 1840s. He never used his first given name, and was known throughout his lifetime as Victor Regnault.

Biography

[edit]

Born in Aix-la-Chapelle in 1810 (modern Aachen, Germany and at that time under French rule), he moved to Paris at the age of eight, following the death of his parents. There, he worked for an upholstery firm until he was eighteen. In 1830, he was admitted to the École Polytechnique, and in 1832 he graduated from the École des mines.

Working under Justus von Liebig at Gießen, Regnault distinguished himself in the nascent field of organic chemistry by synthesizing several chlorinated hydrocarbons (e.g. vinyl chloride in 1835,[1] dichloromethane and perchloroethylene in 1839, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane in 1838 or 1840), and he was appointed professor of chemistry at the University of Lyon. In 1840, he was appointed the chair of chemistry of the École Polytechnique, and in 1841, he became a professor of physics in the Collège de France.

Beginning in 1843, he began compiling extensive numerical tables on the properties of steam. These were published in 1847, and inspired Charles Algernon Parsons to develop the steam turbine.[2] Regnault received the Rumford Medal of the Royal Society of London and appointment as Chief Engineer of Mines. In 1851 he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In 1854 he was appointed director of the porcelain works at Sèvres, the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres. In 1855, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society.[3]

At Sèvres, he continued work on the thermal properties of matter. He designed sensitive thermometers, hygrometers, hypsometers and calorimeters, and measured the specific heats of many substances and the coefficient of thermal expansion of gases. In the course of this work, he discovered that not all gases expand equally when heated and that Boyle's law is only an approximation, especially at temperatures near a substance's boiling point.

Regnault was also an avid amateur photographer. He introduced the use of pyrogallic acid as a developing agent, and was one of the first photographers to use paper negatives. In 1854, he became the founding president of the Société française de photographie.

In 1871, his laboratory at Sèvres was destroyed and his son Alex-Georges-Henri Regnault killed, both as a result of the Franco-Prussian War. He retired from science the next year, never recovering from these losses.

Legacy

[edit]

The crater Regnault on the Moon is named after Regnault, and his name is one of the 72 names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower. Some have suggested that the symbol R for the ideal gas constant is also named after him.[4]

He was the first president of Société française de photographie.

The French Lagrange-class submarine Regnault, built between 1913 and 1924 was named for him.[5]

Works

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Henri Victor Regnault.
Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Henri Victor Regnault.
  1. ^ Regnault, H.V. (1835) Sur la Composition de la Liqueur des Hollandais et sur une nouvelle Substance éthérée. Annales de Chimie et de Physique, Gay-Lussac & Arago, Vol. 58, Paris, Crochard Libraire, 301–320 https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6569005x/f307.item.texteImage
  2. ^ Bill Hammack (8 November 2021). "Reclaiming Engineering in the Minds of the Public" (PDF). p. 14.
  3. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  4. ^ Jensen, William B. (July 2003). "The Universal Gas Constant R" (PDF). Journal of Chemical Education. 80 (7): 731. Bibcode:2003JChEd..80..731J. doi:10.1021/ed080p731.
  5. ^ Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
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