Physicists on the Money

Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), the Swiss mathematical physicist appears on the Swiss 10 franc note. (65 K) He made numerous contributions to mathematical physics including the theory of fluid flow (used in studying how to make airplanes fly) and the theory of rotations of rigid bodies (used in controlling satellites). For a bio, click here or here.

Michael Faraday appears on the British 20 pound note. Faraday was one of the primary discoverers of the properties of electricity and magnetism and their relationship. This work made possible the construction of electric motors and dynamos. (30 K)

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a pioneer in the field of electricity. He first proposed the conservation of electric charge. He appears on the American 100 dollar bill (42 K).

Galileo Gallilei appeared on the Italian 2000 Lire note. In some sense, he was the first modern scientist. He made critical discoveries of how to think about moving bodies. (32 K)
For a bio, click here.

Carl Frederich Gauss appears on the German 10 mark note. In addition to his many contributions to mathematics, Gauss made important discoveries in the theories of electromagnetism. (36 K) For a bio, click here.

Further information is available at: http://www2.physics.umd.edu/~redish/Money/.