Alfred Barnard Basset facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alfred Barnard Basset
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| Born | 25 July 1854 |
| Died | 5 December 1930 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Cambridge University |
| Known for | Basset force Basset–Boussinesq–Oseen equation Basset integral |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics Physics |
Alfred Barnard Basset was a very smart British mathematician and physicist who lived from 1854 to 1930. He was a FRS, which is a big honor for scientists. He spent his time studying complex math topics like algebraic geometry (shapes and equations) and how liquids and gases move (called hydrodynamics). He also looked into electrodynamics, which is about electricity and magnetism.
About Alfred Basset
Alfred Basset was born in London on July 25, 1854. He went to Trinity College, Cambridge, a famous university. In 1877, he earned his first degree, and then his master's degree in 1881.
He first started working in law, but he soon realized his real passion was mathematics. So, he left law to focus on his math research. Because of his important work, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society in 1889. This is a very old and respected group of scientists.
What He Studied
Alfred Basset made important discoveries in how liquids and gases behave.
The Basset Force
One of his most famous contributions is the Basset force. Imagine you drop a ball into a thick liquid like honey or even water. When the ball moves, the liquid pushes back on it. The Basset force helps scientists understand this push, especially when the ball's speed changes. It's also known as the Boussinesq–Basset force. This force helps explain the "history" of how the object has moved through the liquid.
Bessel Functions
Basset also worked on special math tools called Bessel functions. These functions are used in many areas of science and engineering, like studying waves or heat flow. For a while, some people even called a certain type of Bessel function a "Basset function," but that name isn't used much anymore.
Alfred Basset's work helped us better understand how things move in liquids and gases, which is important for many fields, from designing ships to understanding weather.
