Who was William John Macquorn Rankine?

William John Macquorn Rankine was a Scottish mathematician and physicist who lived from 1820 to 1872. He was a foundational figure in the science of thermodynamics and developed a complete theory of heat engines, alongside publishing numerous engineering manuals. In addition to his scientific work, he was an accomplished musician, singer, and cellist.

What we know

• William John Macquorn Rankine was a Scottish mathematician and physicist born on July 5, 1820, who died on December 24, 1872. [1, 2]
• He was a founding contributor to thermodynamics alongside Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson, with a particular focus on the First Law. [2]
• Rankine developed the Rankine scale, which is a Fahrenheit-based equivalent to the Celsius-based Kelvin scale. [2]
• He created a complete theory of the steam engine and all heat engines, and his engineering manuals were used for decades after the 1850s and 1860s. [2]

Where to go next

• how it workedWhat is the Rankine temperature scale?
• compared withHow did Rudolf Clausius contribute to thermodynamics?
• whoWhat role did William Thomson play in early thermodynamics?
• the bigger pictureHow did nineteenth-century marine steam engines evolve?
• whereWhere was the Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography published?
• an unexpected connectionHow does Victorian engineering connect to musical performance?William John Macquorn Rankine was not only a foundational thermodynamicist and author of engineering manuals, but he was also an active singer, pianist, and cellist.

Sources

• [1]William John Macquorn Rankine (Wikidata Q232149) · CC0 1.0
• [2]W. J. M. Rankine · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]John Elder (shipbuilder) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]John Dalton · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography · CC BY-SA 4.0