Jean-Baptiste Fourier was a French mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to a number of fields, including mathematics, physics, and engineering. Fourier is best known for his work on the theory of heat conduction, which he developed in his 1822 book “Théorie Analytique de la Chaleur.”
Fourier was born in 1768 in Auxerre, France. He attended the Ecole Polytechnique, where he studied mathematics and physics. Fourier graduated from the school in 1785 with a degree in mathematics.
Fourier made significant contributions to a number of fields, including mathematics, physics, and engineering. In 1807, he published his work on the theory of Fourier series, which showed that any function can be represented as a sum of sinusoidal functions. Fourier also made important contributions to the field of optics.
Fourier died in 1830 in Paris, France. In 1831, he was posthumously awarded the Copley Medal.
