William Gilbert
William Gilbert, 1540-1603, English scientist and physician to
Queen Elizabeth.
Gilbert, also known as William of Colchester, performed important
early studies of electricity and magnetism. In De
Magnete (1600), he was the first to describe the earth's
magnetic field and to postulate the relationship between
electricity and magnetism. He introduced the term
electricity into scientific discourse. The
gilbert, a unit equal to one centimeter-gram-second of
magnetomotive force, is named for him.
