Jacques Alexandre César Charles

1746-1823

 

The French chemist, physicist, and aeronaut Jacques Alexandre César Charles, was born November 12, 1746, in Beaugency, Loiret, France. Beginning as a clerk in the finance ministry, Charles turned to science and experimented with electricity. He developed several inventions, including a hydrometer and reflecting goniometer, and improved the Gravesand heliostat and Fahrenheit's aerometer.

 

He is best known for his formulation in 1787 of one of the basic gas laws, known as Charles's law, which states that, at constant pressure, the volume occupied by a fixed weight of gas is directly proportional to the absolute temperature. However, during his lifetime, Charles was better known for inventing the hydrogen balloon.