Talk:Hermann von Helmholtz

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Contents 1 Comment 2 Heat death and free energy 3 Origin of interest in acoustics 4 Nerve signals 5 Featured status 6 Biography 7 WikiProject class rating

[edit] Comment

Dear prospective editors, you might note that the use of the relative pronoun in the first sentence allows for ambiguity: it is logically unclear whether Helmholtz or his father is the intended subject of the subordinate clause.

[edit] Heat death and free energy

Helmholtz free energy is presumably named for Helmholtz rather than a direct innovation of his, but who named it so and when? The honour would fit in with the wide supposition that he was first to propound the heat death of the universe but a citation would be nice. Cutler 11:55, July 13, 2005 (UTC)

As to heat death, I wrote up the history here: Heat death of the universe#Origins of idea; as to origin of the term "Helmholtz free energy", it seems to be Edward Guggenheim who first used the phrase, in his 1933 textbook Modern Thermodynamics by the Methods of Willard Gibbs, where he says:

We shall call F the "Helmholtz free energy" and G the "Gibbs free energy". (pg. 11)

The term "free energy" was used by Helmholtz in 1882 and next mention of "Helmholtz free energy" (that I can find) is found in the index of Gilbert Lewis and Merle Randall's Thermodynamics and the Free Energy of Chemical Substances (1923), but they use the phrase "free energy" throughout the book. --Sadi Carnot 14:05, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Origin of interest in acoustics

Henry Margenau, in his introduction to the Dover edition of On the Sensations of Tone, states:

"Helmhotz' interest in acoustics was aroused for the first time in 1852, apparently by mathematical errors in the publications of Challis, which he corrected."

There is no entry for "Challis" in my 1922 Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians nor in the index of Benade's Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics. The only Challis in Wikipedia in James Challis. Is it he? Cutler 22:55, July 28, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Nerve signals

Helmholtz is credited with measuring them at 90fps. Can someone confirm? Trekphiler 12:39, 2 December 2005 (UTC

[edit] Featured status

As the article states already HvH is considered one of the most eminent scientific figures in the 19th century. I think he deserves a larger article. Maybe there is a chance to apply for one of the community collaborations, e.g. Article Creation and Improvement Drive? Good luck! --Ben ^T/_C 16:56, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

I'd vote for it. —Keenan Pepper 19:57, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Biography

Wasn't the first edition of "On the sensation of tone" published in October 1862 and not 1863 as written in the article? Can someone confirm this? —Jenzo 12:16, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

Working from my 1954 Dover Publications edition:

• Margenau's bibliography gives publication as "Verlag von Fr. Vieweg U. Sohn, Braunschweig, 1863"
• Translator A.J. Ellis's note to the second English edition refers to "the first German edition of 1863"
• Ellis's translation of Helmholtz' preface to the first German edition is endorsed "Heidelberg: October 1862"

I infer that Helmholtz finished writing in October 1862 put that the book didn't come off the presses until 1863. Hope that helps. Cutler 22:20, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] WikiProject class rating

This article was automatically assessed because at least one WikiProject had rated the article as start, and the rating on other projects was brought up to start class. BetacommandBot 04:06, 10 November 2007 (UTC)