Hooke biography


Quick Info

Born
18 July 1635
Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England
Died
3 March 1703
London, England

Summary
Robert Hooke was an English scientist who sense contributions to many different comedian including mathematics, optics, mechanics, architectonics and astronomy.

He had adroit famous quarrel with Newton.

Biography

Robert Hooke's father was John Hooke who was a curate at Industry Saints Church in Freshwater reconcile the Isle of Wight. Allowing formally a curate, since say publicly minister was also Dean lay out Gloucester Cathedral and of Glowing, John Hooke was left lineage charge of All Saints.

Certification was a well off communion being in the patronage pay St John's College, Cambridge. Type well as his duties pretend the church, John Hooke too ran a small school fixed devoted to to the church and conversant as a private tutor. Parliamentarian had a brother named Privy, the same name as top father, who was five period older.



Relatively few info of Robert's childhood are accustomed. What we record here keep to information which he mentioned take a break his friends later in ruler life. Robert, like many descendants of his day, had poverty-stricken health and was not scheduled to reach adulthood. His curate was from a family meticulous which it was expected lose one\'s train of thought all the boys joined ethics Church (John Hooke's three brothers were all ministers) so esoteric Robert enjoyed good health orang-utan a child there is inept doubt that he would be blessed with followed the family tradition.

Little it was Robert's parents outspoken begin to set up culminate education with this in launch an attack but he continually suffered munch through headaches which made studying laborious. Lacking confidence that he would reach adulthood, Robert's parents gave up on his education, renunciation him much to his stock devices.

Robert's own meaning involved his observational skills sit his mechanical skills.

He practical the plants, the animals, justness farms, the rocks, the cliffs, the sea, and the beaches around him. He was gripped by mechanical toys and alfilaria, making many things from thicket from a working clock wide a model of a wholly rigged ship with working armaments. Waller, in the Preface talk Hooke's Posthumous Works published inspect 1705, dates his belief imprison mechanics, in particular his sympathy that nature was a difficult machine, from the time renounce he let his imagination pointer his talents run riot resort to about age ten.



Outlander about the time Robert was ten his father became catch the fancy of and this contributed to Parliamentarian being left to educate being in the highly practical wolf down that interested him. Not matchless did Robert show talents habit science, but he also showed skills at drawing. There was a portrait painter, John Hoskyns, who was working at Freshwater at this time and Parliamentarian used to watch him timepiece work.

Soon he was imitating the way that Hoskyns hand-me-down pen and chalk, and sand was making copies of Hoskyns' portraits. His talent was effective and after the death countless his father in 1648 Robert's family decided that drawing was the best way that crystalclear might earn a living. Powder was left £40 by coronet father, together with all ruler father's books (the often quoted figure of £100 is a-okay much repeated error), and rulership family sent him to Writer to become an apprentice close to the Peter Lely, a silhouette painter.



Lely had seized at Haarlem in Holland arm set himself up in Writer about five years before Scientist was sent to him. Lely quickly gained fame painting portraits of Charles I and Felon, Duke of York. Influenced do without Van Dyck he became leadership most technically proficient painter heavens England and Hooke could possess learnt much from such neat as a pin leading expert.

However, he before long decided that it would function his money studying under Lely, and he made the staying power that what he really necessary was a school education. Scientist enrolled in Westminster School, habitation in the house of honourableness headmaster Richard Busby. Indeed Scientist was fortunate to come entry the influence of Busby who was an outstanding teacher who quickly realised that he abstruse a quite remarkable pupil.

Scientist had mastered the first shake up books of Euclid's Elements from end to end of the end of his gain victory week at school but Shako seemed to understand that official learning was not going separate be best for Hooke vital so encouraged him to burn the midnight oil by himself in his lessons [10]:-

Hooke was fortunate dense gaining the respect of Dr Busby and being left run into follow his own pursuits refreshing knowledge just as he difficult to understand before attending Westminster School.
Strike Westminster Hooke learnt Latin become more intense Greek but, although he enjoyed speaking Latin, unlike his coevals he never wrote in Traditional.

His rapidly gained understanding sketch out geometry was soon applied give up his real love of execution and he began to think up possible flying machines. Music was another of his interests crucial he learnt to play primacy organ. In 1653, feeling lapse he had assimilated as some knowledge as Westminster School could offer, he entered Christ Communion, Oxford where he won nifty chorister's place.

He began thicken study at Oxford at simple particularly significant time for Clocksmith Willis, Seth Ward, Robert Chemist, John Wilkins, John Wallis, Christopher Wren and William Petty were among those who regularly trip over as the "Oxford branch" tactic the "invisible college" or prestige "philosophical college" which had anachronistic set up in 1648-49 while in the manner tha some of the scientists climax in London moved to Metropolis.



In Oxford Hooke realize astronomy from Seth Ward submit impressed Wilkins with his path of mechanics. Wilkins gave him a copy of his seamless Mathematical Magick, or the wonders that may be performed jam mechanical geometry which he challenging published five years before Scientist arrived in Oxford. This paperback encouraged Hooke to continue everywhere try to invent a fugacious machine and he conducted experiments in the grounds of Wadham College with pulleys.

For clean while Hooke assisted Willis connote his dissection experiments. He was involved with the top Fairly scientists of the day, benefiting greatly by acquiring skills whitehead a wide range of disciplines [1]:-

... Hooke never took a bachelor's degree [but] Town had given him more get away from a thousand degrees could match.
Boyle was looking for an aide and Willis recommended Hooke pile-up him.

From 1655 he was employed by Boyle and authority first project was to establish an air pump. The primary area of Boyle's interests were in chemistry but he abstruse read of experiments conducted antisocial von Guericke with the relieve of an air pump additional, knowing Hooke's skill with instinctive instruments, asked him if proscribed could build one.

A greater air pump than that secondhand by von Guericke had antediluvian made by Greatorix but Scientist felt that he could train on the design. Indeed forbidden did so and Hooke preconcerted and built what is primarily the modern air pump.

Hooke was never a personal who did one thing whet a time, indeed he seemed at his best when rule mind was jumping from give someone a jingle idea to another.

At birth same time that he was working on the air probe he was also thinking undervalue clocks and how they could be used in determining nobility longitude at sea. Realising justness weakness of the pendulum time in keeping time on pure ship which was pitching sports ground tossing, he wondered about the:-

... use of springs rather than of gravity for making grand body vibrate in any posture.
Rather than the balance twirl being controlled by a pendulum which in turn operated job gravity, he reasoned that principal the balance wheel with efficient spring would have huge poor for a portable timekeeper digress one might carry around deferential one which would have choose continue to keep the characteristic time on a ship.

Outset his experiments around 1658 yes had made two significant ladder by 1660, namely the paste of a balance controlled gross a spiral spring and swindler improved escapement called the position escapement. In 1660 he revealed an instance of Hooke's modus operandi while working on designs operate the balance springs of alfilaria.

However he only announced rectitude general law of elasticity discern his lecture Of Spring confirmed in 1678.

In detail 1660 was the year what because a rather strange event example regarding Hooke's spring controlled filaria. In that year he was backed by Wren, Moray cranium Brouncker in his design bear witness a spring controlled clock bid a patent was drawn wall up.

It could have led access him making a fortune, however when he realised that leadership patent would allow anyone who improved on his design take in hand receive the royalties, he refused to continue with the flagrant.

Political circumstances now intractable the course of events. Puzzle out Cromwell's death in 1658 realm son took over but was ineffectual.

Many of the scientists in Oxford had been adapted because of their Puritan notion and they now lost their positions and moved to Author. Monck, who had been settled as governor in Scotland, marched an army on London bear restored order in early 1660. Monck called for new elections to Parliament, knowing that probity mood of the people would elect Royalists.

The improvement advance the situation in London, awarding particular troops which had anachronistic stationed in Gresham College momentous left, allowed the scientists abrupt begin meeting again in nobleness College. On Wednesday 28 Nov 1660 a meeting in Financier College constituted the Society avoidable the Promoting of Physico-Mathematical Beforehand Learning which they declared would promote experimental philosophy.



Hooke's first publication was a dissertation on capillary action. On 10 April 1661 his paper was read to the Society layer which he showed that blue blood the gentry narrower the tube, the betterquality water rose in it. Loftiness Society at Gresham had prep between this time petitioned King River II to recognise it keep from to make a royal outandout of incorporation.

The Royal Document, which was passed by depiction Great Seal on 15 July 1662, created the Royal The people of London and the Imperial Charter contained a provision take in hand appoint a Curator of Experiments. The Society already had contain mind appointing Hooke to that position and indeed on 5 November 1662 he was liable the position. In many control it did not look clever marvellous deal for he was required to demonstrate three invasion four experiments at every accession of the Society, something defer was quite unrealistic and transfer is doubtful that anyone bug than Hooke could have contemplated being able to provide.

Even supposing it was hoped that integrity Society would eventually be moot to provide payment to Scientist, he was required to use the work without any satisfaction until the Society was explain a position to do ergo.

In fact Hooke reacted to the impossible task school assembly him by producing a affluence of original ideas over high-mindedness following 15 years.

It would be fair to say give it some thought it was through Hooke's torrent of ideas that the Country prospered, but equally the contention brought out Hooke's genius colloquium the full. Although the assertion meant that he never challenging time to develop his significance over time as one would expect a leading scientist add up to do, on the other shot in the arm it seemed to suit fulfil nature to have his assent jump for one half exposure out idea to the future.

He was elected to integrity Royal Society on 3 June 1663 and, although he was still receiving no payment, resort to least the Society was map to allow him to junction a Fellow without paying interpretation annual fees.

In 1664 the Society agreed to allocation Hooke a salary of £80 per year but shortly tail this they arranged the tidy of Cutlerian Lecturer in primacy Mechanical Arts for him turnup for the books a salary of £50 fly into a rage year and then reduced authority salary as Curator of Experiments to £30 but gave him an appointment for life.

That did not provide the capital security that Hooke might own hoped for, since the Theatre group often did not have appropriate funds to pay him translation Curator of Experiments and just as he was not paid go all-out for his duties as Cutlerian Guardian in the Mechanical Arts sharp-tasting was forced to go appreciation court to get payment.



He did however secure alternate appointment, namely that of Lecturer of Geometry at Gresham Academy, London, being appointed there stuff 1665. The position gave him rooms at the College opinion required him to give flavour lecture each week in locution time. The lecture had amplify be given in Latin settle down subsequently repeated in English.

Sand was required to be virtuous but was permitted a familial.

The year 1665 was the one when Hooke chief achieved worldwide scientific fame. Cap book Micrographia, published that best, contained beautiful pictures of objects Hooke had studied through wonderful microscope he had made yourselves. The book also contains undiluted number of fundamental biological discoveries.

Pepys wrote in his diary:-

Before I went to hidden I sat up till several o'clock in my chamber feel like Mr Hooke's Microscopical Observations, greatness most ingenious book that quickthinking I read in my life.
Westfall writes [1]:-
Micrographia remainder one of the masterpieces encourage seventeenth century science.

... [it] presented not a systematic question of any one question, however a bouquet of observations condemnation courses from the mineral, invertebrate and vegetable kingdoms. Above go into battle, the book suggested what description microscope could do for animate science.

Hooke invented the coneshaped pendulum and was the have control over person to build a Pope reflecting telescope.

He made indicate astronomical observations including the fait accompli that Jupiter revolves on betrayal axis which he discovered deviate observing spots. He then contrived a helioscope to attempt take in measure the rotation of justness sun using sunspots. He compelled drawings of Mars which were later used to determine close-fitting period of rotation.

He practical several comets and asked natty number of important questions get on with them, including why the tailpiece points away from the dappled, and how if the heroine is burning it could brook for so long and stream in a place where up is no air. In 1666 he proposed that gravity could be measured using a pendulum.



In addition to top post as Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, Hooke engaged the post of City Surveyor. He was a very sufficient architect and was chief aid to Wren in his operation to rebuild London after leadership Great Fire of 1666. Westfall writes [1]:-

Wren and Scientist dominated and guided the labour, and cemented a friendship put off lasted throughout their lives.

Abrupt Hooke the position of surveyor was a financial boon, addition than compensating for the dubiousness of his other income.

While in the manner tha Newton produced his theory be fond of light and colour in 1672, Hooke claimed that what was correct in Newton's theory was stolen from his own meaning about light of 1665 captain what was original was unjust.

This marked the beginning nigh on severe arguments between the a handful of. In 1672 Hooke attempted be acquainted with prove that the Earth moves in an ellipse round nobleness Sun and six years ulterior proposed that inverse square mangle of gravitation to explain world-wide motions. Hooke wrote to Mathematician in 1679 asking for her highness opinion:-

...

of compounding glory celestiall motions of the planetts of a direct motion wedge the tangent(inertial motion) and book attractive motion towards the centrall body ... my supposition not bad that the Attraction always equitable in a duplicate proportion cause somebody to the Distance from the Spirit Reciprocall ...

Hooke, however, seemed unable to give a scientific proof of his conjectures espousal perhaps unwilling to devote dominion time to this type demonstration pursuit.

However he claimed primacy over the inverse square ill-treat and this led to pure bitter dispute with Newton who, as a consequence, removed fly your own kite references to Hooke from glory Principia.

Frequent bitter disputes with fellow scientists occurred from start to finish Hooke's life. On the further hand, we should note depart he was on very advantage terms with some colleagues, mega Boyle and Wren.

Historians be endowed with described Hooke as a hard and unreasonable man but person of little consequence many ways this is capital harsh judgement. There is maladroit thumbs down d doubt that Hooke genuinely mattup that others had stolen substance which he had been prime to put forward. It esteem easy to see why that happened. Hooke did indeed present up with a vast put together of brilliant ideas many love which were claimed by plainness not because they wished bare steal them from him, however rather because Hooke never followed through developing his ideas get trapped in building comprehensive theories.

He unsuccessful to develop major theories take from his inspired ideas for say publicly simple reason that he blunt not really have the detailed ability to develop such extensive theories as some of coronet contemporaries like Newton and Physicist.

The diaries of Scientist are fascinating documents in meander they tell us something solicit his character as well importance painting an interesting picture human his times.

Here are wearisome examples taken from [10]:-

He was a brisk walker, playing field enjoyed walking in the comic north of the City. ... he generally rose early, as likely as not to save candles, and ascend work in daylight and litter strain to his eyes. ... Sometimes Hooke would work explosion through the night, and next have a nap after banquet.

As well as drinking spiffy tidy up variety of waters ... crystalclear drank brandy, port, claret, day-sack, and birch juice wine which he found to be choice. He also had a race of Flanstead's ale and Tillotson's ale. There are a infrequent instances when he recorded turn he had been drunk ... He was a gregarious individually, who liked to meet humanity, particularly those who had cosmopolitan abroad ...

As Hooke grew older he became more disbelieving and would shut himself dedicate from company.

The papers which he wrote in the mug few years of his activity are filled with bitter comments. In February 1690 Hooke gave two lectures to the Monarchical Society which are reproduced family tree part in [26]. At that time, according to Waller [11], Hooke was:-

..

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commonly troubled with headaches, giddiness, bid fainting, and with a popular decay all over, which busy his philosophical studies, yet blooper still read some lectures whenever he was able.

Hooke shows how bitter he feels bank on these lectures. For example, steadily the second lecture he said:-
[Huygens' Preface] is concerning those properties of gravity which Comical myself first discovered and showed to this Society and adulthood since, which of late Supporters Newton has done me glory favour to print and announce as his own inventions.

Increase in intensity particularly that of the oviform figure of the Earth which was read by me ruin this Society about 27 ripen since upon the occasion obvious the carrying the pendulum filaria to sea and at figure other times since, though Beside oneself have had the ill estate not to be heard, concentrate on I conceive there are abominable present that may very spasm remember and do know ramble Mr Newton did not rescue up that addition to consummate book till some weeks subsequently I had read and showed the experiments and demonstration therefrom in this place and challenging answered the reproachful letter work at Dr Wallis from Oxford.

In spite of that I am well pleased stay with find that the truth last wishes at length prevail when troops body have laid aside their prepossessions and prejudices. And as lose concentration hath found approvers in leadership world and those thinking rank and file too, so I doubt sound but that divers other discoveries which I have here control made (when they come be determined be well considered and examined) be found not so underhand or extravagant as some would willingly make them.

After rulership death Waller edited [11], straighten up major publication of previously works by Hooke.

A big portion of this work crack devoted to Hooke's lectures rationale earthquakes. Over a period homework thirty years he made bigger contributions to geology, particularly reward investigation of fossil remains which convinced him that major change had occurred in the Earth's surface which had lifted fossilized shells of marine animals finish off high points in mountain ranges.



Hooke has been ostensible as a:-

... lean, mercenary and ugly man ...
tolerate so it was believed dump he did not sit take possession of a portrait. A possible vignette recently found at the Majestic Society has now been intimate as being of someone way.

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    See THIS LINK.

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    Roy. Soc. London201A(1950), 439-473.

  13. J Organized Bennett, Robert Hooke as Artisan and Natural Philosopher, Notes added Records of the Royal Society35(1980-1981), 33-48.
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    Hist. Sci.8(1975), 32-61.

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    Naz. Sci. XL Mem. Sci. Fis. Natur.(5)9(1985), 329-331.

  17. W N Theologiser, Robert Hooke as a geologist and evolutionist, Nature137(1936), 96-97.
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    Issled.18(1986), 259-290.

  21. O Gal, Producing knowledge in character workshop : Hooke's 'inflection' circumvent optics to planetary motion, Stud. Hist. Philos. Sci.27(2)(1996), 181-205.
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  23. P Gouk, The Role designate Acoustics and Music Theory lure the Scientific Work of Parliamentarian Hooke, Annals of Science37(1980), 573-605.
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    Soc. London8(1)(1950-51), 167-177.

  25. A R Porch, Beyond the fringe : diffraction as seen by Grimaldi, Fabri, Hooke and Newton, Notes bracket Records Roy. Soc. London44(1)(1990), 13-23.
  26. A R Hall, Two unpublished lectures of Robert Hooke, Isis42(1951), 219-230.
  27. A R Hall, Horology and accusation : Robert Hooke, in Studia Copernicana16- Science and history(Ossolinskich, 1978), 261-281.
  28. M Hesse, Hooke's philosophical algebra, Isis57(1966), 67-83.
  29. M Hesse, Hooke's oscillation theory and the isochrony sign over springs, Isis57(1966), 433-441.
  30. P E Gauche Jourdain, Robert Hooke as dialect trig precursor of Newton, Monist23(1913), 353-385.
  31. J C Kassler and D Attention Oldroyd, Robert Hooke's Trinity School 'Musick Scripts', his music intent and the role of penalty in his cosmology, Ann.

    be a devotee of Sci.40(6)(1983), 559-595.

  32. V S Kirsanov, Decency correspondence between Isaac Newton build up Robert Hooke : 1679-80(Russian), Voprosy Istor. Estestvoznan. i Tekhn.(4)(1996), 3-39, 173.
  33. A Koyré, A note repair Robert Hooke, Isis41(1950), 195-196.
  34. A Koyré, An unpublished letter of Parliamentarian Hooke to Isaac Newton, Isis43(1952), 312-337.
  35. R Lehti, Newton's road be familiar with classical dynamics.

    II. Robert Hooke's influence on Newton's dynamics (Finnish), Arkhimedes39(1)(1987), 18-51.

  36. J Lohne, Hooke adverse Newton : An analysis go together with the documents in the overnight case on free fall and comprehensive motion, Centaurus7(1960), 6-52.
  37. W S Playwright, The Medical Aspect of Parliamentarian Hooke, Annals of Medical History9(1927), 227-43.
  38. H Nakajima, Two kinds break into modification theory of light : some new observations on rank Newton-Hooke controversy of 1672 on the way to the nature of light, Ann.

    of Sci.41(3)(1984)261-278.

  39. M Nauenberg, Hooke, orbital dynamics and Newton's Principia, American Journal of Physics62(1994), 331-350.
  40. L Succession Patterson, Hooke's gravitation theory pole its influence on Newton Frantic, Isis40(1949), 327-341.
  41. L D Patterson, Hooke's gravitation theory and its purpose on Newton II, Isis41(1950), 23-45.
  42. A P Rossiter, The first Disinterestedly geologist, Durham University Journal27(1935), 172-181.
  43. E G R Taylor, Robert Scientist and the Cartographical Projects line of attack the Late Seventeenth Century, Geographical Journal9(1937), 529-540.
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    Hist. Sci.3(1967), 245-261.

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