William Grylls Adams
Encyclopedia
William Grylls Adams FRS (18 February 1836 Laneast
, Cornwall
- 10 April 1915) was professor of Natural Philosophy at King's College, London.
William Grylls Adams was a younger brother of John Couch Adams
(1819–1892). He graduated from St. John's College, Cambridge in 1855.
In 1839, Alexandre Edmond Becquerel (1820–1891) had discovered that illumination of one of two metal plates in a dilute acid changed the electromotive force (EMF).
In 1876, Adams and Richard Evans Day discovered that illuminating a junction between selenium and platinum has a photovoltaic effect
. This first demonstrated that electricity could be produced from light without moving parts and lead to the modern solar cell.
Fron 1878 to 1880 he was President of the Physical Society of London. In June 1872 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and in 1875 delivered their Bakerian Lecture
.
He was president of the Institute of Electrical Engineers and of the mathematical and physical section of the British Association.
Laneast
Laneast is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated above the River Inny valley approximately six miles west of Launceston. The population in the 2001 census was 164.-Geography:...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
- 10 April 1915) was professor of Natural Philosophy at King's College, London.
William Grylls Adams was a younger brother of John Couch Adams
John Couch Adams
John Couch Adams was a British mathematician and astronomer. Adams was born in Laneast, near Launceston, Cornwall, and died in Cambridge. The Cornish name Couch is pronounced "cooch"....
(1819–1892). He graduated from St. John's College, Cambridge in 1855.
In 1839, Alexandre Edmond Becquerel (1820–1891) had discovered that illumination of one of two metal plates in a dilute acid changed the electromotive force (EMF).
In 1876, Adams and Richard Evans Day discovered that illuminating a junction between selenium and platinum has a photovoltaic effect
Photovoltaic effect
The photovoltaic effect is the creation of voltage or electric current in a material upon exposure to light. Though the photovoltaic effect is directly related to the photoelectric effect, they are different processes. In the photoelectric effect, electrons are ejected from a material's surface...
. This first demonstrated that electricity could be produced from light without moving parts and lead to the modern solar cell.
Fron 1878 to 1880 he was President of the Physical Society of London. In June 1872 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and in 1875 delivered their Bakerian Lecture
Bakerian Lecture
The Bakerian Lecture is a prize lecture of the Royal Society, a lecture on physical sciences.In 1775 Henry Baker left £100 for a spoken lecture by a Fellow on such part of natural history or experimental philosophy as the Society shall determine....
.
He was president of the Institute of Electrical Engineers and of the mathematical and physical section of the British Association.
Works
- Solar Heat: A Substitute Fuel for Tropical Countries, Bombay, 1878; Chadwyck-Healey Ltd., 2001
- The action of light on selenium, 1875
- On the action of light on tellurium and selenium, 1876
- Simultaneous magnetic disturbances
- Alternate current machines
- Testing of dynamo machines