Final answer:
James Clerk Maxwell unified the electric and magnetic forces into what we call the electromagnetic force, elucidating the nature of light as electromagnetic waves and even producing the first permanent color photograph.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unification of Electric and Magnetic Forces
The physicist who unified the electric force and the magnetic force, and thus provided a comprehensive explanation for the nature of light, was James Clerk Maxwell. The electromagnetic force is the term used to describe this unification, signifying that electric and magnetic forces are different manifestations of the same phenomenon. Maxwell's equations describe how a moving electric field can produce a magnetic field, and conversely, a moving magnetic field can produce an electric field. This discovery was pivotal in our understanding of light, as it revealed that visible light consists of electromagnetic waves. Maxwell's contributions extend beyond physics, as he also produced the first permanent color photograph, demonstrating the versatility of his scientific expertise.