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February 18, 1838 Ernst Mach
Ernst Mach was a Austrian physicist and philosopher.
In physics, the speed of sound bears his name, as he was the first to systematically study super-sonic motion, and work in Spectroscopy. He also made important contributions to understanding the Doppler Effect. His critique on Newtonian theories of space and time inspired Einstein with his Theory of Relativity. He is known in the philosophy world for his influence for the Vienna Circle, on metaphysical attitudes, and developing "Positivism". -
1860's Doppler Effect, Spectroscopy: "Mach Bands"
He provided a brilliant analysis of the existing misunderstandings and ambiguities and pointed to the applicability of Doppler's law for determining the relative velocity of fixed stars.
Most importantly, Mach's experimental investigations led to fast-flying projectiles, as well as the first photographs and other optical experiments, such as diffraction of light, Newtonian rings, as well as since 1904, with his son Ludwig, interference phenomena of polarized light and phase change by reflection. -
1863 Wave Machine
His research on the perception of time courses using oscillating pendulum pairs (1863) revealed deviations from Fechner's law, which asserts a proportionality of sensation intensity to the logarithm of physical stimulus intensity.
"The Wave Machine of Mach", as Dr. Jiří Drábek at Palacký, states, the Pendulum was originally designed and constructed by Ernst Mach in Prague around the year 1867 while a professor in the Czech Republic.
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1870 Mach's Physiological and Philosophical Contributions
His philosophical contributions were known in the Vienna Circle through metaphysical attitudes. Knowledge in general and in science show how significant orientations of scientific research results were thought through the perceptions and measurable and operational definitions.
Yet work published in 1886 entitled "Contributions to the Analysis of Sensations" formed the conclusion of his physiological studies, from phenomenal-ism, led Mach to discover neutral monism, defying idealism and realism. -
1887 Mach's Physics Contributions, "Mach's Principle"
Mach’s principle (1916) can be summarized by stating that the inertia of a body is determined by the rest of the mass-energy content of the universe. The principle was a guiding factor for Einsteins' development on his Theory of Relativity. His original work was done in 1887. Machs' name bears the forces in which the projectile speeds and the speed of sound are measured by.
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Machs' Works Dates and Citations
Mach, Ernst, and Thomas J. McCormack. Popular Scientific Lectures. The Open Court Publishing Company, 1898. Mach, Ernst. et al. The Analysis of Sensations and the Relation of the Physical to the Psychical. The Open Court Publishing Company, 1897. Mach, Ernst, and Karl Menger. The Science of Mechanics: A Critical and Historical Account of Its Development. The Open Court Publishing Co., 1893. -
February 19, 1916 Ernst Mach Death
Mach, as a physicist, professor and philosopher, whose contributions to many scientists, even after his death, shows the amass value and influences of his work. The great diversity of Mach's interests and contributions is one of the most remarkable things about him. Mach's work includes: "Principles of Heat Theory"(1896), "Popular Scientific lectures" (1895), "Knowledge and Error" (1976), "The Science of Mechanics" (1883), and Space and Geometry from the Point of View of Physical Inquiry (1903).
