Émilie du Châtelet
Émilie du Châtelet (December 17, 1706 - September 10, 1749) was a French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher whose work played a crucial role in spreading and clarifying Newtonian physics in Europe. She is best known for her French translation of Isaac Newton’s “Principia Mathematica”, which remains the standard edition in that language. Du Châtelet made original contributions to dynamics and championed the idea—now fundamental—that kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity, anticipating concepts related to the conservation of energy. Her book Institutions de Physique integrated ideas from Newton, Leibniz, and experimental physics, establishing her as a central figure in 18th-century science.
Quotes
- Physics is an immense edifice that surpasses the strength of a single man.