George Green

Mathematician and physicist, born in Nottingham, C England, UK. While working as a baker he taught himself mathematics, and in 1828 published a pamphlet, An Essay on the Application of Mathematical Analysis to the Theories of Electricity and Magnetism, containing what are now known as Green's theorem and Green's functions, and introducing the electrical term potential. He entered Caius College, Cambridge, in 1833, published several papers on wave motion and optics, and was elected a fellow in 1839.

This article is about the scientist George Green. For the place called George Green in Buckinghamshire, England see George Green, Buckinghamshire.

George Green (14 July 1793–31 May 1841) was a British mathematician and physicist, who wrote An Essay on the Application of Mathematical Analysis to the Theories of Electricity and Magnetism (Green, 1828). The essay introduced several important concepts, among them a theorem similar to modern Green's theorem, the idea of potential functions as currently used in physics, and the concept of what are now called Green's functions.

Green's life story is remarkable in that he was almost entirely self-taught.

In his adult life, Green worked in his father's mill, taking ownership upon his father's death in 1829. As Nottingham had little in the way of intellectual resources, it is unclear to historians exactly where Green obtained information on current developments in mathematics. When Green published his Essay in 1828, it was sold on a subscription basis to 51 people, most of whom were friends and probably could not understand it. Mathematician Edward Bromhead bought a copy and encouraged Green to do further work in mathematics.

Finally, Green contacted Bromhead, who enabled Green to enter Cambridge University.

Green's work was not well-known in the mathematical community during his lifetime. In 1846, Green's work was rediscovered by Lord Kelvin, who popularised it for future mathematicians.

The George Green Library at the University of Nottingham is named after him, and houses the majority of the University's Science and Engineering Collection. It now serves both as a working example of a 19th century mill and as a museum and science centre dedicated to George Green.