Gay-Lussac and Biot in Hot Air Balloon, 1804

Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac (1778-1850) was a French chemist and physicist known for his studies on the physical properties of gases. In 1804, Gay-Lussac and Jean-Baptiste Biot ascended to a height of approximately 13, 000 feet to study variations in the Earth's electro-magnetic intensity relative to altitude. In a later solo ascent, he climbed to 23, 000 feet and experienced the effects of oxygen deprivation, but still managed to collect air samples, study the variation of pressure and temperature, and repeat his earlier electro-magnetic observations. Jean-Baptiste Biot (April 21, 1774 - February 3, 1862) was a French physicist, astronomer, and mathematician who established the reality of meteorites, made an early balloon flight, and studied the polarization of light

Picture No

13343710

Media ID

47781410

Size

3877px x 4645px (13.6MB)

Credit

Usage Restrictions

Commercial sales may require 3rd party clearance

Source

Science Source