List of scientific laws named after people

This is a list of scientific laws named after people (eponymous laws). For other lists of eponyms, see eponym.

Law Field Person(s) Named After
Abel's theorem Calculus Niels Henrik Abel
Ariadne's thread Computer science Ariadne
Amdahl's law Computer science Gene Amdahl
Ampère's circuital law Physics André-Marie Ampère
Archie's law Geology Gus Archie
Archimedes's principle
Axiom of Archimedes
Physics
Analysis
Archimedes
Arrhenius equation Chemical kinetics Svante Arrhenius
Avogadro's law Thermodynamics Amedeo Avogadro
Basquin's Law of Fatigue Materical science O. H. Basquin
Bell's theorem Quantum mechanics John Stewart Bell
Benford's law Mathematics Frank Benford
Beer–Lambert law Optics August Beer, Johann Heinrich Lambert
Bernoulli's principle
Bernoulli's equation
Physical sciences Daniel Bernoulli
Biot–Savart law Electromagnetics, fluid dynamics Jean Baptiste Biot and Félix Savart
Birch's law Geophysics Francis Birch
Bogoliubov–Born–Green–Kirkwood–Yvon hierarchy Physics Nikolay Bogoliubov, Max Born, Herbert Green, John Kirkwood, and J. Yvon
Bogoliubov transformation Quantum mechanics Nikolay Bogoliubov
Boltzmann equation Thermodynamics Ludwig Boltzmann
Born's law Quantum mechanics Max Born
Boyle's law Thermodynamics Robert Boyle
Bragg's Law Physics William Lawrence Bragg, William Henry Bragg
Bradford's law Computer science Samuel C. Bradford
Bruun Rule Earth science Per Bruun
Buys Ballot's law Meteorology C.H.D. Buys Ballot
Byerlee's law Geophysics James Byerlee
Carnot's theorem Thermodynamics Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot
Cauchy's integral formula
Cauchy–Riemann equations
 See also: List of things named after Augustin-Louis Cauchy
Complex analysis Augustin Louis Cauchy
Augustin Louis Cauchy and Bernhard Riemann
Cayley–Hamilton theorem Linear algebra Arthur Cayley and William Hamilton
Charles's law Thermodynamics Jacques Charles
Chandrasekhar limit Astrophysics Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Church–Turing thesis Computer science Alonzo Church and Alan Turing
Coulomb's law Physics Charles Augustin de Coulomb
Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac (frequently called Charles's law) Thermodynamics Jacques Charles and Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac
Clifford's theorem
Clifford's circle theorems
Algebraic geometry, Geometry William Kingdon Clifford
Curie's law Physics Pierre Curie
Curie–Weiss law Physics Pierre Curie and Pierre-Ernest Weiss
D'Alembert's paradox
D'Alembert's principle
Fluid dynamics, Physics Jean le Rond d'Alembert
Dalton's law of partial pressure Thermodynamics John Dalton
Darcy's law Fluid mechanics Henry Darcy
De Bruijn–Erdős theorem Mathematics Nicolaas Govert de Bruijn and Paul Erdős
De Morgan's law Logic Augustus De Morgan
Dermott's law Celestial mechanics Stanley Dermott
Descartes's theorem Geometry René Descartes
Dirac equation
Dirac delta function
Dirac comb
Dirac spinor
Dirac operator
 See also: List of things named after Paul Dirac
Mathematics, Physics Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac
Drake equation Cosmology Frank Drake
Doppler effect Physics Christian Doppler
Ehrenfest's theorem Quantum mechanics Paul Ehrenfest
Einstein's general theory of relativity
Einstein's special theory of relativity
 See also: List of things named after Albert Einstein
Physics Albert Einstein
El-Sayed rule Physical chemistry Mostafa El-Sayed
Erdős–Anning theorem
 See also: List of things named after Paul Erdős
Mathematics Paul Erdős and Norman H. Anning
Erdős–Beck theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and József Beck
Erdős–Gallai theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and Tibor Gallai
Erdős–Kac theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and Mark Kac
Erdős–Ko–Rado theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős, Ke Zhao, and Richard Rado
Erdős–Nagy theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and Béla Szőkefalvi-Nagy
Erdős–Rado theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and Richard Rado
Erdős–Stone theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and Arthur Harold Stone
Erdős–Szekeres theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and George Szekeres
Erdős–Szemerédi theorem Mathematics Paul Erdős and Endre Szemerédi
Euclid's theorem Number theory Euclid
Euler's theorem
 See also: List of things named after Leonhard Euler
Number theory Leonhard Euler
Faraday's law of induction
Faraday's law of electrolysis
Electromagnetism
Chemistry
Michael Faraday
Faxén's law Fluid dynamics Hilding Faxén
Fermat's principle
Fermat's Last Theorem
Fermat's little theorem
Optics
Number theory
Number theory
Pierre de Fermat
Fermi paradox
Fermi's golden rule
Fermi acceleration
Fermi hole
Fermionic field
Fermi level
 See also: List of things named after Enrico Fermi
Cosmology, Physics Enrico Fermi
Fick's law of diffusion Thermodynamics Adolf Fick
Fitts's law Ergonomics Paul Fitts
Fourier's law Thermodynamics Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier
Gauss's law
Gauss's law for magnetism
Gauss's principle of least constraint
Gauss's digamma theorem
Gauss's hypergeometric theorem
Gaussian function
 See also: List of things named after Carl Friedrich Gauss
Mathematics, Physics Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss
Gay-Lussac's law Chemistry Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac
Gibbs–Helmholtz equation Thermodynamics Josiah Willard Gibbs, Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz
Gödel's incompleteness theorems Mathematics Kurt Gödel
Graham's law Thermodynamics Thomas Graham
Green's law Fluid dynamics George Green
Grimm's law Linguistics Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Gustafson's law Computer science John L. Gustafson
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle Theoretical physics Werner Heisenberg
Heaps' law Linguistics Harold Stanley Heaps
Hellmann–Feynman theorem Physics Hans Hellmann, Richard Feynman
Henry's law Thermodynamics William Henry
Hertz observations Electromagnetism Heinrich Hertz
Hess's law Thermodynamics Germain Henri Hess
Hilbert's basis theorem
Hilbert's axioms
Hilbert function
Hilbert's irreducibility theorem
Hilbert's syzygy theorem
Hilbert's Theorem 90
Hilbert's theorem
Mathematics David Hilbert
Hohenberg–Kohn theorem Quantum mechanics Pierre Hohenberg and Walter Kohn
Helmholtz's theorems
Helmholtz theorem
Helmholtz free energy
Helmholtz decomposition
Helmholtz equation
Helmholtz resonance
Thermodynamics
Physics
Hermann von Helmholtz
Hollomon's law Physics John Herbert Hollomon
Hooke's law Physics Robert Hooke
Hopkinson's law Electromagnetism John Hopkinson
Hubble's law Cosmology Edwin Hubble
Hund's rules Atomic physics Friedrich Hund
Huygens–Fresnel principle Optics Christiaan Huygens and Augustin-Jean Fresnel
Joule's laws Physics James Joule
Jurin's law Physics James Jurin
Kasha's rule Photochemistry Michael Kasha
Kepler's laws of planetary motion Astrophysics Johannes Kepler
Kirchhoff's laws Electronics, thermodynamics Gustav Kirchhoff
Kopp's law Thermodynamics Hermann Franz Moritz Kopp
Larmor formula Physics Joseph Larmor
Leidenfrost effect Physics Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost
Lagrangian point
Lagrange reversion theorem
Lagrange polynomial
Lagrange's four-square theorem
Lagrange's theorem
Lagrange's theorem (group theory)
Lagrange invariant
Lagrange multiplier
 See also: List of things named after Joseph-Louis Lagrange
Mathematics, Astrophysics Joseph-Louis Lagrange
Lambert's cosine law Physics Johann Heinrich Lambert
Lamm equation Chemistry, Biophysics Ole Lamm
Langmuir equation Surface Chemistry Irving Langmuir
Laplace transform
Laplace's equation
Laplace operator
Laplace distribution
Laplace invariant
Laplace expansion
Laplace principle
Laplace limit
 See also: List of things named after Pierre-Simon Laplace
Mathematics
Physics
Probability Theory
Statistical mechanics
Pierre-Simon Laplace
Le Chatelier's principle Chemistry Henri Louis le Chatelier
Leibniz's law Ontology Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
Lenz's law Physics Heinrich Lenz
Leonard–Merritt mass estimator Astrophysics Peter Leonard, David Merritt
l'Hôpital's rule Mathematics Guillaume de l'Hôpital
Llinás's law Neuroscience Rodolfo Llinás
Ludwik's law Physics P. Ludwik
Mach principle
Mach reflection
Physics Ernst Mach
Marconi's law Radio technology Guglielmo Marconi
Markovnikov's rule Organic chemistry Vladimir Markovnikov
Maupertuis's principle Mathematics Pierre Louis Maupertuis
Maxwell's equations
Maxwell relations
Electrodynamics
Thermodynamics
James Clerk Maxwell
McCulloch's Iron Laws of Conferences Education Alistair McCulloch
Mendelian inheritance/Mendel's laws Genetics Gregor Mendel
Metcalfe's law Network theory Robert Metcalfe
Mikheyev–Smirnov–Wolfenstein effect Particle physics Stanislav Mikheyev, Alexei Smirnov, and Lincoln Wolfenstein
Milner–Rado paradox Mathematical logic Eric Charles Milner and Richard Rado
Minkowski's theorem Number theory Hermann Minkowski
Mitscherlich's law Crystallography
Condensed matter physics
Eilhard Mitscherlich
Moore's law Computing Gordon Moore
Nash embedding theorem
Nash equilibrium
Topology
Game Theory
John Forbes Nash
Nernst equation Electrochemistry Walther Nernst
Newton's law of cooling
Newton's law of universal gravitation
Newton's laws of motion
 See also: List of things named after Isaac Newton
Thermodynamics
Astrophysics
Mechanics
Isaac Newton
Niven's theorem Mathematics Ivan Niven
Noether's theorem Theoretical physics Emmy Noether
Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem Information theory Harry Nyquist, Claude Elwood Shannon
Occam's razor Philosophy of science William of Ockham
Ohm's law Electronics Georg Ohm
Osipkov–Merritt model Astrophysics Leonid Osipkov, David Merritt
Ostwald dilution law Physical chemistry Wilhelm Ostwald
Paley–Wiener theorem Mathematics Raymond Paley and Norbert Wiener
Pareto distribution
Pareto efficiency
Pareto index
Pareto principle
Economics Vilfredo Pareto
Pascal's law
Pascal's theorem
Physics
Geometry
Blaise Pascal
Pauli exclusion principle Quantum mechanics Wolfgang Pauli
Peano axioms Foundational mathematics Giuseppe Peano
Planck's law Electromagnetism Max Planck
Poincaré–Bendixson theorem Mathematics Henri Poincaré and Ivar Otto Bendixson
Poincaré–Birkhoff–Witt theorem Mathematics Henri Poincaré, George David Birkhoff, and Ernst Witt
Poincaré–Hopf theorem Mathematics Henri Poincaré and Heinz Hopf
Poincaré recurrence theorem
Poincaré conjecture
Poincaré lemma
 See also: List of things named after Henri Poincaré
Mathematics Henri Poincaré
Poiseuille's law Fluidics Jean Léonard Marie Poiseuille
Poisson distribution
Poisson's equation
 See also: List of things named after Siméon Denis Poisson
Statistics
Calculus
Siméon Denis Poisson
Price's theorem Natural selection George R. Price
Ptolemy's theorem Geometry Ptolemy
Pythagorean theorem Geometry Pythagoras
Raman scattering Physics Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman
Rado's theorem Discrete mathematics Richard Rado
Ramanujan–Nagell equation
 See also: List of things named after Srinivasa Ramanujan
Mathematics Srinivasa Ramanujan and Trygve Nagell
Raoult's law Physical chemistry François-Marie Raoult
Riemann zeta function
Riemann hypothesis
Riemann integral
Riemann lemma
Riemannian manifold
Riemann sphere
Riemann theta function
 See also: List of things named after Bernhard Riemann
Number theory, analysis, geometry Bernhard Riemann
Rolle's theorem Differential calculus Michel Rolle
Saha ionization equation Plasma physics Meghnad Saha
Schrödinger equation Physics Erwin Schrödinger
Seebeck effect Physics, Electronincs Thomas Johann Seebeck
Sérsic's law Astrophysics José Luis Sérsic
Snell's law Optics Willebrord van Roijen Snell
Sokolov–Ternov effect Particle Physics Arsenij Sokolov and Igor Ternov
Sommerfeld–Kossel displacement law Spectroscopy Arnold Sommerfeld and Walther Kossel
Stefan–Boltzmann law Thermodynamics Jožef Stefan and Ludwig Boltzmann
Stokes' law Fluid mechanics George Gabriel Stokes
Stoletov's law Photoelectric effect Aleksandr Stoletov
Swift's law Physics H. W. Swift
Tarski's undefinability theorem
Tarski's axioms
 See also: List of things named after Alfred Tarski
Mathematical logic, Geometry Alfred Tarski
Thales's theorem Geometry Thales
Titius–Bode law Astrophysics Johann Daniel Titius and Johann Elert Bode
Torricelli's law Physics Evangelista Torricelli
Umov effect Physics Nikolay Umov
Van der Waals equation Chemistry Johannes Diderik van der Waals
Vlasov equation Plasma physics Anatoly Vlasov
Voce's law Physics E. Voce
Von Neumann bicommutant theorem
Von Neumann entropy
von Neumann paradox
Von Neumann ergodic theorem
Von Neumann universe
Von Neumann neighborhood
Von Neumann's trace inequality
 See also: List of things named after John von Neumann
Mathematics, Quantum mechanics John von Neumann
Weinberg–Witten theorem Quantum Gravity Steven Weinberg and Edward Witten
Weyl character formula
 See also: List of things named after Hermann Weyl
Mathematics Hermann Weyl
Wien's law Physics Wilhelm Wien
Wiener–Khinchin theorem Mathematics Norbert Wiener and Aleksandr Khinchin
Young–Laplace equation Fluid dynamics Thomas Young and Pierre-Simon Laplace
Zener-Hollomon law Physics Clarence Zener and John Herbert Hollomon
Zipf's law Linguistics George Kingsley Zipf

See also

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Further reading

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  • Ballentyne, D. W. G.; Lovett, D. R. (1980). A dictionary of named effects and laws in chemistry, physics, and mathematics (4th ed.). Chapman and Hall. ISBN 978-0-412-22380-8.