Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished paper, 'Experiments on the heating power of the prismatic rays' by Baden Powell

Reference number: AP/3/12

Date: early 19th century

Description

Powell recounts his experiments using a photometer to compare the heating power of separate primary rays of solar light with the heating power of the same rays when united to form a white ray. Powell provides his experimental results in tables.

Ink inscription top left of first page reads 'To be returned to the author if required'. A red ink inscription to the right of this reads 'JFWH [John Frederick William Herschel] (51)'. A pencil inscription below title reads 'Powell on heating powers of Rays'. Ink corrections and deletions appear throughout paper.

Subject: Physics

Reference number
AP/3/12
Earliest possible date
early 19th century
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
25 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Baden Powell

View page for Baden Powell

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

Baden Powell, Unpublished paper, 'Experiments on the heating power of the prismatic rays' by Baden Powell, early 19th century, AP/3/12, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_3_12/unpublished-paper-experiments-on-the-heating-power-of-the-prismatic-rays-by-baden-powell, accessed on 14 July 2025

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_3_12/unpublished-paper-experiments-on-the-heating-power-of-the-prismatic-rays-by-baden-powell

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/ap_3_12/unpublished-paper-experiments-on-the-heating-power-of-the-prismatic-rays-by-baden-powell" title="Unpublished paper, 'Experiments on the heating power of the prismatic rays' by Baden Powell" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

    View collection