William Sutherland (physicist)
Encyclopedia
William Sutherland was a Scottish
-born Australia
n theoretical physicist
, physical chemist and writer for The Age
(Melbourne) newspaper.
, Scotland
, son of George Sutherland, a woodcarver,
and his wife Jane, née Smith. William had siblings Alexander Sutherland
, George Sutherland
and Jane Sutherland
. The family emigrated to Australia
in 1864, staying in Sydney
for six years and then moving to Melbourne
in 1870. Sutherland later graduated from Wesley College
. The headmaster was Martin Howy Irving
who had been the second professor of classics at the University of Melbourne
, but the influence of the second master, H. M. Andrew, afterwards professor of natural philosophy at the same university, was of more importance to Sutherland. From Wesley Sutherland enrolled at the University of Melbourne in February 1876, graduating B.A. in 1879 with first-class final honours and the scholarship in natural science, and third-class honours in engineering.
Sutherland was then nominated by the Melbourne University council for the Gilchrist scholarship at University College, London, in England, which was awarded to him and he left for England in July 1879. Entering as a science student at University College London
, Sutherland came under the influence of Professor Carey Foster
, and in the final examination for the B.Sc. degree took first place and first class honours in experimental physics and the clothworkers scholarship of £50 for two years. Sutherland had not enjoyed his time in England and arrived back in Melbourne in February 1882.
, but it was too far from his home and the public library, and the offer was declined. For many years he earned just enough to pay his way by acting as an examiner and contributing articles to the press; the rest of his time was given to scientific research. In 1884 he applied without success for the chair of chemistry at the University of Adelaide
, and in 1888 when the professor of natural philosophy Henry Martyn Andrew
died Sutherland was appointed lecturer at the University of Melbourne until the chair could be filled. Sutherland had applied for this position through the Victorian agent-general in London, but the application was reportedly mis-filed and was not considered. Professor Thomas Ranken Lyle
was appointed and in 1897, when he was away on leave, Sutherland was again made lecturer. Sutherland had begun contributing to the Philosophical Magazine
in 1885, and on an average about two articles a year front his pen appeared in it for the next 25 years. For the last 10 years of his life he was a regular contributor and leader writer on the Melbourne Age, particularly on scientific subjects. Sutherland declined an offer of an appointment on the staff of the paper. Sutherland wrote on such topics as the surface tension of liquids, diffusion, the rigidity of solids, the properties of solutions (including an influential analysis of the structure of water), the origin of spectra and the source of the Earth's magnetic field. Sutherland devoted most of his time to scientific research. A list of 69 of his contributions to scientific magazines appears in W. A. Osborne's, William Sutherland a Biography. Sutherland died quietly in his sleep on 5 October 1911 from a ruptured heart.
in December 1893. Other important papers dealt with the constitution of water, the viscosity of water, molecular attractions and ionization, ionic velocities and atomic sizes. The ordinary reader may refer to a discussion of his scientific work in chapter VI of Osborne's biography of Sutherland, but the full value of it could only be computed by a physicist willing to collate his papers with the state of knowledge at the time each was written. It was well known and valued in England
, Germany
and America
. Professor T. R. Lyle said at the time of Sutherland's death that he was "the greatest authority living in molecular physics". Modest and selfless, Sutherland was content to add to the sum of human knowledge and to hope that another person would carry the work further. Sutherland never married.
Sutherland wrote an equation describing Brownian motion
and diffusion
which was published in a 1904 paper, which he presented at a Dunedin
ANZAAS
conference. Albert Einstein
’s first published work on the same topic was published in 1905.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n theoretical physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, physical chemist and writer for The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
(Melbourne) newspaper.
Early life and education
Sutherland was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, son of George Sutherland, a woodcarver,
and his wife Jane, née Smith. William had siblings Alexander Sutherland
Alexander Sutherland
Alexander Sutherland was a Scottish-Australian educator, writer and philosopher.-Early life and education:Sutherland was born at Glasgow, both parents were Scottish, his father, George Sutherland, a carver of ship's figureheads, married Jane Smith, a woman of character and education...
, George Sutherland
George Sutherland (author)
George Sutherland , a writer, was born in Scotland, the brother of Alexander Sutherland.He was taken to Australia in 1864 and graduated from the University of Melbourne...
and Jane Sutherland
Jane Sutherland
Jane Sutherland was an Australian landscape painter pioneer of the plein-air movement in Australia, she was also notable for her advocacy to advance the professional standing of women artists....
. The family emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1864, staying in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
for six years and then moving to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1870. Sutherland later graduated from Wesley College
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
. The headmaster was Martin Howy Irving
Martin Howy Irving
Martin Howy Irving was an English rower and educationist who spent nearly all his career in Australia .Irving was born in St Pancras, London, the son of Edward Irving, a major figure of the Catholic Apostolic Church, whom Carlyle called the "freest, brotherliest, bravest human soul mine ever came...
who had been the second professor of classics at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, but the influence of the second master, H. M. Andrew, afterwards professor of natural philosophy at the same university, was of more importance to Sutherland. From Wesley Sutherland enrolled at the University of Melbourne in February 1876, graduating B.A. in 1879 with first-class final honours and the scholarship in natural science, and third-class honours in engineering.
Sutherland was then nominated by the Melbourne University council for the Gilchrist scholarship at University College, London, in England, which was awarded to him and he left for England in July 1879. Entering as a science student at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, Sutherland came under the influence of Professor Carey Foster
Carey Foster
George Carey Foster was a chemist and physicist, born at Sabden in Lancashire,He was Professor of Physics at University College London.-Early life:...
, and in the final examination for the B.Sc. degree took first place and first class honours in experimental physics and the clothworkers scholarship of £50 for two years. Sutherland had not enjoyed his time in England and arrived back in Melbourne in February 1882.
Career
Sutherland's home life meant a lot to him, it was a home of affection and culture, every member of it excelled in either literature, music or art. In July 1882 Sutherland was offered the position of superintendent of the School of Mines, BallaratBallarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
, but it was too far from his home and the public library, and the offer was declined. For many years he earned just enough to pay his way by acting as an examiner and contributing articles to the press; the rest of his time was given to scientific research. In 1884 he applied without success for the chair of chemistry at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, and in 1888 when the professor of natural philosophy Henry Martyn Andrew
Henry Martyn Andrew
Professor Henry Martyn Andrew, M.A. English-born professorship of mathematics and natural philosophy at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, and later professorship of Natural Philosophy at the Melbourne University....
died Sutherland was appointed lecturer at the University of Melbourne until the chair could be filled. Sutherland had applied for this position through the Victorian agent-general in London, but the application was reportedly mis-filed and was not considered. Professor Thomas Ranken Lyle
Thomas Ranken Lyle
Sir Thomas Ranken Lyle FRS was an Irish-born and educated mathematical physicist and educator. He emigrated to Australia to take up a professorship at the University of Melbourne, where he was a pioneer in the use of X-rays as a medical tool...
was appointed and in 1897, when he was away on leave, Sutherland was again made lecturer. Sutherland had begun contributing to the Philosophical Magazine
Philosophical Magazine
The Philosophical Magazine is one of the oldest scientific journals published in English. Initiated by Alexander Tilloch in 1798, in 1822 Richard Taylor became joint editor and it has been published continuously by Taylor & Francis ever since; it was the journal of choice for such luminaries as...
in 1885, and on an average about two articles a year front his pen appeared in it for the next 25 years. For the last 10 years of his life he was a regular contributor and leader writer on the Melbourne Age, particularly on scientific subjects. Sutherland declined an offer of an appointment on the staff of the paper. Sutherland wrote on such topics as the surface tension of liquids, diffusion, the rigidity of solids, the properties of solutions (including an influential analysis of the structure of water), the origin of spectra and the source of the Earth's magnetic field. Sutherland devoted most of his time to scientific research. A list of 69 of his contributions to scientific magazines appears in W. A. Osborne's, William Sutherland a Biography. Sutherland died quietly in his sleep on 5 October 1911 from a ruptured heart.
Legacy
Sutherland was a well-built man of slightly under medium height, very quiet in manner. He could have been a good musician or a painter if he had been able to give the time. One of the earlier papers to bring Sutherland into notice was on the viscosity of gases which appeared in the Philosophical MagazinePhilosophical Magazine
The Philosophical Magazine is one of the oldest scientific journals published in English. Initiated by Alexander Tilloch in 1798, in 1822 Richard Taylor became joint editor and it has been published continuously by Taylor & Francis ever since; it was the journal of choice for such luminaries as...
in December 1893. Other important papers dealt with the constitution of water, the viscosity of water, molecular attractions and ionization, ionic velocities and atomic sizes. The ordinary reader may refer to a discussion of his scientific work in chapter VI of Osborne's biography of Sutherland, but the full value of it could only be computed by a physicist willing to collate his papers with the state of knowledge at the time each was written. It was well known and valued in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Professor T. R. Lyle said at the time of Sutherland's death that he was "the greatest authority living in molecular physics". Modest and selfless, Sutherland was content to add to the sum of human knowledge and to hope that another person would carry the work further. Sutherland never married.
Sutherland wrote an equation describing Brownian motion
Brownian motion
Brownian motion or pedesis is the presumably random drifting of particles suspended in a fluid or the mathematical model used to describe such random movements, which is often called a particle theory.The mathematical model of Brownian motion has several real-world applications...
and diffusion
Diffusion
Molecular diffusion, often called simply diffusion, is the thermal motion of all particles at temperatures above absolute zero. The rate of this movement is a function of temperature, viscosity of the fluid and the size of the particles...
which was published in a 1904 paper, which he presented at a Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
ANZAAS
Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science is an organisation that was founded in 1888 by Archibald Liversidge as the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science to promote science. It was modelled on the British Association for the Advancement of Science...
conference. Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
’s first published work on the same topic was published in 1905.
External links
- Sutherland potential equation and description at SklogWiki.org