Question

What evidence is there that joule had an exceptional education?

Answer 1

James Prescott Joule, an English scientist, was educated privately by a tutor. From 1834 until 1837, they were taught chemistry, physics, the scientific method, and mathematics by the famous English chemist John Dalton. James recognized or acknowledge the key role that Dalton played in his becoming a scientist. He said: "It was from his instruction that I first formed a desire to increase my knowledge by original researches".

Answer 2

Joule was educated at home with private tutors. He had to take over the brewery at a young age and missed out on attending university. Despite this, his home schooling was exceptional and led to him continuing to study science in a home based laboratory where he experimented before and after work. Joule submitted his work on the relationship of heat, electricity and mechanical work to numerous publications but it was widely ignored until William Thomson found it in 1847. He recognized Joule's work worked with an unifying pattern that was newly emerging in physics and excitedly endorsed it. Soon many other big names in the science field began rallying behind Joule's work.