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Jules Violle

1841 – 1923

French physicist

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About Jules Violle

Lived 1841 – 1923 (aged 81). Jules Violle was a French physicist and university teacher, known for Solar constant.

Jules Louis Gabriel Violle (16 November 1841 – 12 September 1923) was a French physicist and inventor.

He is notable for having determined the solar constant at Mont Blanc in 1875, and, in 1881, for proposing a standard for luminous intensity, called the Violle, equal to the light emitted by 1 cm² of platinum at its melting point. It was the first unit of light intensity that did not depend on the properties of a particular lamp. This was much larger than traditional measures such as candlepower, so the standard SI unit candela was originally defined in 1946 as 1/60 Violle.

During his career, Violle taught at several colleges including the University of Lyon and the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers in Paris. He was one of the founders of the Institut d'optique théorique et appliquée and the École supérieure d'optique. He improved and invented a number of devices for measuring radiation, and determined the freezing and melting points of palladium.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Known for
Solar constant
Education
École Normale Supérieure
Awards
Commander of the Legion of Honour
Also known as
Jules Louis Gabriel Violle

People in Jules Violle's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jules Violle's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jules Violle?

French physicist (1841-1923)

When was Jules Violle born?

Jules Violle was born on 16 November 1841 in Langres.

When did Jules Violle die?

Jules Violle died on 12 September 1923 in Fixin.

What was Jules Violle's occupation?

Jules Violle was a physicist and university teacher.

What was Jules Violle known for?

Jules Violle was known for Solar constant.

What nationality was Jules Violle?

Jules Violle was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jules Violle

· Wikidata: Q716352

· DBpedia: Jules Violle

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jules Violle. https://biography.guide/jules-violle/

MLA: "Jules Violle." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jules-violle/.

Chicago: "Jules Violle." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jules-violle/.

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