Mathematician, physicist and philosopher — Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor and philosopher, born in Clermont-Ferrand, one of the most precocious minds in history. In physics he formulated the fundamental principle of hydrostatics on the transmission of pressure in fluids and studied atmospheric pressure, confirming Torricelli’s insights with experiments on the Puy de Dôme mountain. In mathematics he contributed to the calculus of probability and to the study of the arithmetic triangle that bears his name. He also built one of the first mechanical calculating machines, the Pascaline. In his final years he devoted himself to philosophy and theology, leaving behind the famous Pensées. In his honour, the unit of pressure is called the pascal.
Fun fact
Together with Fermat he laid the foundations of the calculus of probability by answering questions on how to fairly divide the stakes of an interrupted game of chance.
Theories and contributions
- Pascal’s principle — A pressure exerted on a confined fluid is transmitted unchanged to every point of the fluid; it underlies the hydraulic press: .
- Hydrostatic pressure — Study of pressure in fluids and of atmospheric pressure, with Stevin’s law .
- Pascal’s triangle — Triangular arrangement of the binomial coefficients, with applications in combinatorics and probability theory.
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Linked atoms
1 linked atoms.