Why was Hermann von Helmholtz made a member of the nobility in 1882?

Hermann von Helmholtz was elevated to the nobility in 1882 in recognition of his growing scientific stature and his significant contributions to fields including physiology, physics, and mathematics.1

While his career included various prestigious academic appointments—such as his 1871 offer of the professorship of physics at the University of Berlin—the specific honor of ennoblement served as a formal acknowledgment of his profound impact on 19th-century science, most notably his work on the conservation of energy.1