Chapter 45 - J.W. Strutt, third Baron Rayleigh, The theory of sound, first edition (1877–1878)

Abstract

The book on the theory of sound (TS) was the first comprehensive and systematic mathematical treatise on sound; this book opened the era of modern acoustics. The range of his interests covered almost all the subjects of physics including sound, light, electricity, heat, and gas. Rayleigh admitted that a third volume was needed, and the publishers urged him to write it, but this was not realized. Instead, a considerable part of what Helmholtz pointed out was included in the revised and enlarged edition, which was published in 1894 and 1895. Rayleigh's typical method to solve problems was to formulate a differential equation for a given phenomenon. One of the non-acoustical areas in which the impact of this treatise was the most noteworthy was the theory of elasticity. While examining the difference in motions caused by violent forces, for instance, he exemplified an optical extension of acoustical phenomena by showing the selective absorption of the two kinds of light. Rayleigh's pursuit of generality was one of the main causes of his influence on various fields. His treatments of acoustical systems in TS aimed at general vibrations and waves, and they could be easily applied to other problems.