Ernst Mach

Date of Birth: February 18, 1838

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: February 19, 1916

Biography

Ernst Mach was an influential Austrian physicist and philosopher, renowned for his contributions to the fields of physics, particularly in the study of shock waves and the Mach number, which is named after him. Born on February 18, 1838, in Chirlitz-Turas, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic), Mach’s work laid foundational principles in both physics and the philosophy of science. Mach studied at the University of Vienna and went on to become a professor at the University of Graz, the Charles University in Prague, and finally the University of Vienna. His research spanned various domains including mechanics, optics, and acoustics. He is perhaps best known for his work on the Doppler effect, supersonic flight, and the concept of inertial frames of reference in physics. Mach’s philosophical views were also highly influential, particularly his empiricism and his ideas on the philosophy of science. His rejection of absolute space and time influenced the development of Einstein’s theory of relativity. Mach’s principle, which posits that local inertial frames are determined by the large-scale distribution of matter, was named in his honor. Mach suffered a stroke in 1898, which led him to retire from active academic life, although he continued to write and publish until his death on February 19, 1916, in Vaterstetten, Germany.

5 Interesting Facts about Ernst Mach

1. Ernst Mach was honored by having the Mach number, a dimensionless unit used to describe the speed of an object moving through a fluid, named after him.

2. Mach’s principle influenced Albert Einstein and was a contributing factor in the development of General Relativity.

3. Mach held the position of rector at the University of Prague, where he made significant contributions to the institution’s academic programs.

4. He conducted pioneering work in the field of ballistics and high-speed photography, capturing images of shock waves.

5. Mach was a vocal critic of Isaac Newton’s concepts of absolute space and time, advocating instead for a more relative and empirical approach to understanding physical phenomena.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Ernst Mach

1. “The task of science is to state problems clearly and solve them.”

2. “I can accept the theory of relativity as little as I can accept the existence of atoms and other such dogmas.”

3. “Knowledge and error flow from the same mental sources, only success can tell one from the other.”

4. “Scientists must be careful to avoid exaggerating the value of their findings.”

5. “The fact that the path forward is difficult does not make it less worth pursuing.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Ernst Mach did not achieve significant personal wealth from his scientific endeavors. His contributions were more academic and intellectual in nature rather than financial.