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Fourier, far from originally wanting to become a physicist, decided in 1787 to become a priest. However, he later decided not to take religious vows and studied mathematics. he became a teacher, but soon was involved in the French Revolution. Fourier supported one of many similar factions, but all of the factions were violently opposed to each other and Fourier was arrested. He was released after Robspierre was guillotined. Fourier taught for a few more years, and then participated in Napoleon's invasion of Egypt as an adviser. After the campaign, Fourier was appointed to Prefect of the Department of Isere by Napoleon, a position Fourier did not particularly want but was forced to accept. While performing his government duties, Fourier still found time to research the theory of heat. He published a paper on the propagation of heat in solids, but it had a mixed reaction and was not published. Fourier was elected to the Academy of Sciences in 1817, and in his last several years in Paris he put together his most important theory: Fourier Analysis. Fourier Analysis is a method of method of breaking down complex waves into their component sine waves, an invaluable addition to the physical study of waves. |