II. Reading and Comprehension

Read the text without a dictionary (time limit is 10 minutes). Do the test.

James Clerk Maxwell

(1831-1879)

James Clerk Maxwell, the great physicist and mathe­matician, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Novem­ber 13, 1831.

After school he entered the University of that city. Then he attended the University of Cambridge and grad­uated from it in 1854. When at the University Maxwell took great interest in mathematics and optics.

For two years after the University he lectured, made experiments in optics at Trinity College and studied much himself.

In 1856 he became professor of natural philosophy and in 1860 professor of physics and astronomy at King's College, London. In London he lived for 5 years. Here he saw Faraday for the first time.¹

In 1871 Maxwell became professor of experimental physics at Cambridge. At that time students could not even have such subjects as electricity or magnetism as there was no laboratory for the study of these subjects. Maxwell organized such a laboratory which made Cam­bridge world-known.²

This was a very fruitful period of Maxwell's life. He studied the problems of electromagnetism, molecular physics, optics, mechanics and others.

Maxwell wrote his first scientific work when he was fifteen. Since that time he wrote a great number of works which were the results of his experiments and calcula­tions.

His most outstanding investigations, however, are in the field of the kinetic theory of gases and electricity. Maxwell is the founder of the electromagnetic field (side by side with ³ Faraday) and the electromagnetic theory of light. In 1873 he published his famous work on elec­tricity and magnetism. During these years he also wrote his classic "Matter and Motion", a small book on a great subject, and many articles on various subjects ("Atoms", "Attraction", "Faraday" and others).

Maxwell's works on the kinetic theory of gases, the theory of heat, dynamics and the mathematical theory of electricity and magnetism are monuments to his great genius.

Notes

1. for the first time— вперше

2. world-known — відомий

3. side by side with — разом з, одночасно з

Exercise 6. Find the right ending of the sentences.

1. James Clerk Maxwell was born …

a) in London, England

b) in Edinburgh, Wales

c) in Edinburgh, Scotland.

2. When at the University Maxwell took great interest in …

a) electromagnetism, optics.

b) mechanics, mathematics.

c) optics, mathematics.

3. He wrote a great number of works which were the results of …

a) experiments in optics at Trinity College.

b) outstanding investigations.

c) experiments and calculations.

4. In London he lived for 5 years. Here he saw … for the first time.

a) I. Newton

b) M. Faraday

c) B. Franklin

5. Maxwell’s classic is …

a) “Matter and Motion”

b) “Principia”

c) “Attraction”

Exercise 7. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. In 1856 he became professor of natural philosophy at Cambridge University

2. In 1871 Maxwell became professor of experimental physics at King’s College, London.

3. He studied the problems of electromagnetism, molecular physics, optics, and mechanics.

Exercise 8. Find the right answer to the following questions:

1.) What age did Maxwell write his first scientific work?

a) у віці чотирнадцяти років;

b) у віці п’ятнадцяти років;

c) у віці тринадцяти років

2.) What University did Maxwell graduate from in 1854?

a) Кембриджський університет;

b) Лондонський університет;

c) Единбурзький університет

3) What experiments did Maxwell make at Trinity College in?

a) експерименти в оптиці;

b) експерименти з проблем електромагнетизму;

c) експерименти в області механіки

* Exercise 9. Answer the following questions in your native language in writing.

1. What did Maxwell do after the University?

2. Why was the period 1871-1875 a very fruitful one?

3. What theories was Maxwell the founder of?