Christiaan Huygens was a Dutch mathematician and scientist, lived from April 14, 1629 – July 8, 1695. He was one of the leading scientists of his time and is best known as an astronomer, physicist, proabablist, and horologist. His contributions to experimental and theoretical physics were most notably the discovery of Titan, invention of the first pendulum clock, and the earliest theory about the nature of light. His great contributions are of great significance and so he deserves to be chosen as one of the top 20 scientists of all time.
Before bombarding with information on his exceptional contributions to show that he deserves to be in this top 20 list, some biographical information is necessary to explain the person’s character and talent. Christiaan Huygens was born in a wealthy Dutch family at The Hague in the Netherlands in 1629. As a child, he loved to play with machines and watched water ripples caused by throwing rocks. He was educated at home until …show more content…
In 1656, Huygens built the first pendulum clock, far more reliable than any time keeping methods. His pendulum clock had an error of less than 1 minute a day, an extremely accurate time measurement which was a phenomenal achievement at his time. For almost the next three centuries, clocks around the world used pendulums. In 1673, Huygens published Horologium Oscillatorium sive de motu pendulorum, his work on pendulums and horology. Using geometrical methods, he proved that pendulums are not isochronous by showing the pendulum’s curve down was a cycloid, not a circular arc. He also derived the formula of the period of an ideal pendulum: T=2π(l/g)^(1/2). In his study of oscillation periods, he made crucial points that aided in some development of the concept of moment of inertia. Huygens also developed a balance spring watch near the same time Robert Hooke did
Before bombarding with information on his exceptional contributions to show that he deserves to be in this top 20 list, some biographical information is necessary to explain the person’s character and talent. Christiaan Huygens was born in a wealthy Dutch family at The Hague in the Netherlands in 1629. As a child, he loved to play with machines and watched water ripples caused by throwing rocks. He was educated at home until …show more content…
In 1656, Huygens built the first pendulum clock, far more reliable than any time keeping methods. His pendulum clock had an error of less than 1 minute a day, an extremely accurate time measurement which was a phenomenal achievement at his time. For almost the next three centuries, clocks around the world used pendulums. In 1673, Huygens published Horologium Oscillatorium sive de motu pendulorum, his work on pendulums and horology. Using geometrical methods, he proved that pendulums are not isochronous by showing the pendulum’s curve down was a cycloid, not a circular arc. He also derived the formula of the period of an ideal pendulum: T=2π(l/g)^(1/2). In his study of oscillation periods, he made crucial points that aided in some development of the concept of moment of inertia. Huygens also developed a balance spring watch near the same time Robert Hooke did