Johann II Bernoulli facts for kids
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Johann II Bernoulli (born May 18, 1710, in Basel, Switzerland – died July 17, 1790, in Basel) was a smart Swiss mathematician. He was the youngest of three sons of another famous mathematician, Johann Bernoulli.
A Life of Learning
Johann II Bernoulli studied both law and mathematics. After finishing his studies, he traveled around France. When he returned, he became a professor of eloquence (which means the art of speaking well) at the University of Basel in his hometown. He held this job for five years.
A Prize-Winning Mind
Johann II Bernoulli was very talented and won several important awards. In 1736, he won a prize from the French Academy for his interesting ideas about aether. Aether was a concept people used to explain how light traveled through space.
Later, when his father passed away, Johann II took over his father's job as a professor of mathematics at the University of Basel. He continued to be very successful, winning prizes from the Academy of Sciences in Paris three more times! His prize-winning topics included how a capstan (a machine used on ships) works, how light travels, and the science of magnets.
Friends and Family
Johann II Bernoulli was friends with another important scientist named Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Maupertuis even stayed at Bernoulli's house when he was traveling to Berlin, and sadly, he died there.
Johann II Bernoulli himself passed away in 1790. His two sons, Johann and Jakob, also became well-known mathematicians. They were the last famous mathematicians from the amazing Bernoulli family.
