Ampere, Andre-Marie
Ampere, Andre-Marie (1775-1836), French physicist. A child prodigy, he was a proficient mathematician by the age of 12. His research into the connection between electricity and magnetism resulted in the formulation of Ampere’s law, which established the basis for the study of electromagnetism. His use of a freely moving needle to measure the flow of electric current led to the development of the galvanometer. The unit of electric current, usually abbreviated to ‘amp’, was named after him.
