Quick Facts
- Born:
- March 14, 1692, Leiden, Neth.
- Died:
- Sept. 19, 1761, Leiden (aged 69)
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Pieter van Musschenbroek
Dutch physicist and mathematician
Pieter van Musschenbroek (born March 14, 1692, Leiden, Neth.—died Sept. 19, 1761, Leiden) was a Dutch mathematician and physicist who discovered the principle of the Leyden jar about the same time (1745) as E.G. von Kleist of Pomerania.
Musschenbroek, a gifted and influential teacher of science, held professorships at the universities of Duisburg (1719–23), Utrecht (1723–40), and Leiden (1740–61).
This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.