Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac ( 1778 - 1850 )

Birth: St Leonard, France (06 December 1778) Death: Paris, France (09 May 1850) Research Field: Chemistry, physics Education: Ecole Polytechnique, Paris; Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees Career: Began researches on vapour, temperature and terrestrial magnetism; discovered the Law of volumes (1808); Professor of Physics, Sorbonne, Paris (1808-1832); made balloon ascents, including one with J B Biot (FRS 1815) (1804); ascended Vesuvius when it was erupting (1805); Superintendent if the Government manufactory of Gunpowder (1818); represented Haute Vienne in the Chamber of Deputies (1831); Peer of France (1839) Membership: Foreign Member Election Date: 6/04/1815.