The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester - Joule and Energy

INTRODUCTION
THE EXPERIMENT
JOULE'S LIFE AND WORK
APPARATUS
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
GLOSSARY

Welcome >> The experiment >> The Story


Next Page - page 1 of 9

Joule & Energy: The Mechanical Equivalent of Heat

Conducted by James Joule in Salford, Manchester, 1845

Picture of James Joule and part of a beam engine An artist impression of the basement and his apparatus

"By 1845, Joule had carried out previous experiments that explored the relationship between electricity and work.

This experiment was intended to demonstrate that friction between water molecules, caused by the movement of the paddlewheel, would have the effect of increasing the temperature of the water.

By doing so, Joule derived a numerical value for the relationship between heat and mechanical work"

 

[HELP] [CONTACT US] [MUSEUM HOME]

© Copyright The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester 2002.