Charles-Édouard Guillaume
Swiss physicist who discovered invar and estimated space temperature.
He is best known for inventing the alloys invar, elinvar, and platinite, and for making an early estimate of the temperature of space.
- field
- Physics
- nationality
- Swiss
- known_for
- Discovery of nickel–steel alloys (invar, elinvar, platinite); estimation of space temperature (5–6 K); Guillaume balance in horology
Lore & Background
He received his early education in Neuchâtel and earned his Ph.D. M. Taufflieb, with whom he had three children. He is known for discovering nickel–steel alloys: invar (near-zero thermal expansion), elinvar (near-zero thermal coefficient of elasticity, also non-magnetic), and platinite (also called red platinum). He developed a slight variation of invar with a negative quadratic coefficient of expansion to eliminate the 'middle-temperature' error of the balance wheel, leading to the Guillaume balance.
Reader's Guide
Charles-Édouard Guillaume's significance lies in his contributions to precision measurement and materials science. His discovery of invar, an alloy with near-zero thermal expansion, revolutionized the construction of precision instruments such as clocks, surveying equipment, and scientific apparatus that must remain dimensionally stable across temperature changes. Elinvar, with its stable elasticity, improved the accuracy of marine chronometers and antimagnetic watches.
Did You Know?
- The Guillaume balance, a type of balance wheel in horology, is named after him.
- He was head of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What alloys is Guillaume famous for discovering?
Guillaume identified the extraordinary thermal behavior of certain nickel-steel combinations and named the resulting materials invar, elinvar, and platinite. These alloys became indispensable in instruments that required dimensional stability across wide temperature ranges.
Why did Guillaume receive the 1920 Nobel Prize in Physics?
The Nobel committee recognized him for uncovering the anomalous expansion properties of nickel-steel alloys. His findings made it possible to manufacture precision devices whose measurements remained reliable regardless of ambient temperature fluctuations.
What did Guillaume contribute to our understanding of space temperature?
In a remarkably forward-looking calculation, Guillaume estimated that the temperature of outer space lay in the neighborhood of five to six kelvins. This early figure anticipated the later detection of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
What is the Guillaume balance in horology?
The Guillaume balance is a watch balance wheel fabricated from his nickel-steel alloys specifically to counteract the drift a timepiece experiences as temperature changes. It became a hallmark of high-accuracy mechanical chronometers.
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