Lionel Robert Wilberforce
Encyclopedia
Lionel Robert Wilberforce (18 April 1861 – 1 April 1944) was a British
physicist. He is best known for the invention of the Wilberforce pendulum which exhibits a curious motion in which periods of purely rotational oscillation gradually alternate with periods of purely up and down oscillation.
Bavaria
. He was a great-grandson of William Wilberforce
. He was educated in England and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1884. He worked with J. J. Thomson at the Cavendish Laboratory
in Cambridge and was appointed lecturer in 1900. In the same year he became professor of physics at University College
, Liverpool
(later University of Liverpool
). He retired from this position in 1935.
Most of Wilberforce's time at the University of Cambridge and University of Liverpool was dedicated to the teaching.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
physicist. He is best known for the invention of the Wilberforce pendulum which exhibits a curious motion in which periods of purely rotational oscillation gradually alternate with periods of purely up and down oscillation.
Life
Lionel Robert Wilberforce was born as son of Edward Wilberforce (1834-1914) in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. He was a great-grandson of William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
. He was educated in England and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1884. He worked with J. J. Thomson at the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
in Cambridge and was appointed lecturer in 1900. In the same year he became professor of physics at University College
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
(later University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
). He retired from this position in 1935.
Work
In 1896 he published his work on vibrations of a loaded spiral spring, today known as Wilberforce pendulumWilberforce pendulum
A Wilberforce pendulum, invented by British physicist Lionel Robert Wilberforce around 1896, consists of a mass suspended by a long helical spring and free to turn on its vertical axis, twisting the spring. It is an example of a coupled mechanical oscillator, often used as a demonstration in...
Most of Wilberforce's time at the University of Cambridge and University of Liverpool was dedicated to the teaching.