James Clerk Maxwell was born on June 13, 1831, in Edinburgh, Scotland. From an early age, Maxwell showed a profound curiosity in the fields of mathematics and the sciences. More specifically, he was interested in the study of geometry and the creation of mechanical mathematical models. At fourteen years old, Maxwell published his first paper on oval curves. Three years before the publication of his most famous work "A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field", Maxwell was inducted into the Royal Society in 1861. He died on November 5, 1879, as a legendary mathematician and a champion for physics.
Dubbed the father of electrical engineering, Maxwell is most known for his set of equations which now serve as the foundation of classical electromagnetism. Generally, his equations are used to determine the direction and magnitude of electric and magnetic fields in a given situation. Maxwell was the first to unify preconceived theories and observations pertaining to electrodynamics and magnetism with light. In his book "A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field", Maxwell stated, "The agreement of the results seem to show that light and magnetism are affections of the same substance, and that light is an electromagnetic disturbance propagated through the field according to electromagnetic laws." The model contained in his work "A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism" shows how Maxwell discovered that electromagnetic waves, such as visible light, are made up of electric and magnetic fields oscillating between each other.
The model from "A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism" showing oscillating electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave.
