A French physicist, born February 10, 1793 at Besancon, Peclet, became one of the first scholars of the Ecole Normale at Paris, Gay-Lussac and Dulong being his teachers. Peclet was elected professor at the College de Marseille in 1816, teaching physical sciences there until 1827. He returned to Paris when nominated maitre de conferences at the Ecole Normale and was elected professor at the important Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures. In 1840 he became inspecteur general de 1' instruction publique and retired from this charge in 1852 to devote himself exclusively to teaching.
His publications were famous for their clarity of style, sharpminded views and well performed experiments. His famous book "Traite de la Chaleur et de ses Applications aux Arts et aux Manufactures" [Paris (1829)] was distributed worldwide and had been translated into German.
Peclet continued lecturing until his death December 6, 1857 at Paris.
