Ludvig Lorenz, Electromagnetism, and the Theory of Telephone Currents

TL;DR

This paper surveys Ludvig Lorenz's significant contributions to electrodynamics and electrical science, highlighting his foundational theory of light and practical work on telephone currents, and compares his theories with those of other prominent physicists.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of Lorenz's work, emphasizing his unique theoretical and practical contributions to electromagnetism and telephony.

Findings

Lorenz's 1867 electrodynamic theory of light was foundational.

His unpublished theory addressed practical problems in long-distance telephony.

Lorenz's work is compared to that of Lorentz, Maxwell, and Heaviside.

Abstract

Ludvig V. Lorenz (1829-1891) was Denmark's first theoretical physicist and the only one whose work attracted international attention in the second half of the nineteenth century. This paper presents a survey of Lorenz's contributions to physics with an emphasis on his work in electrodynamics and electrical science. His 1867 electrodynamic theory of light was of a theoretical and foundational nature, while his unpublished theory of telephone currents was oriented toward practical problems in long-distance telephony. Lorenz's theories are briefly compared to those of better known physicists such as H. A. Lorentz, J. C. Maxwell, and O. Heaviside.