physics

James Arthur Pollock

James Arthur Pollock is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand James Arthur Pollock rather than just read about it. In short: James Arthur Pollock, FRS, (17 November 1865 – 24 May 1922) was an Irish-born physicist, active in Australia. Born in Douglas, County Cork, Ireland and educated in England, in 1885 Pollock moved to Australia followed with by his family.

Key takeaways

James Arthur Pollock belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect James Arthur Pollock to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of James Arthur Pollock from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

James Arthur Pollock, FRS, (17 November 1865 – 24 May 1922) was an Irish-born physicist, active in Australia. Born in Douglas, County Cork, Ireland and educated in England, in 1885 Pollock moved to Australia followed with by his family. In 1886, he was appointed second astronomical assistant to the New South Wales government astronomer, Henry Chamberlain Russell. In 1889 Pollock became professor of physics at the University of Sydney. He studied atmospheric ions and vacuum technology amongst other areas. In World War I, Pollock enlisted in the Engineering Corps and served with Edgeworth David. Pollock designed apparatus for use in tunnelling. This enabled destruction of German fortifications on the Messines and Wytschaete ridges in Belgium. He finished the war with the rank of major. Pollock died in Sydney, he had no children. He was buried in Waverley Cemetery.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with James Arthur Pollock

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what James Arthur Pollock claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to James Arthur Pollock before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about James Arthur Pollock ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of James Arthur Pollock

In research: James Arthur Pollock appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses James Arthur Pollock in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: James Arthur Pollock is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1865 births, 1922 deaths, Australian fellows of the Royal Society, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for James Arthur Pollock outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study James Arthur Pollock in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what James Arthur Pollock means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain James Arthur Pollock out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is James Arthur Pollock in simple terms?

Why does James Arthur Pollock matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study James Arthur Pollock?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on James Arthur Pollock.