Which scientist contributed significantly to the formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics?

Lord William Thompson, also known as Lord Kelvin, made significant contributions to the formulation of both the first and second laws of thermodynamics. He was instrumental in establishing the concept of absolute temperature and the Kelvin scale, which is fundamental to thermodynamic temperature measurements.

Kelvin's work on the first law of thermodynamics, which deals with the conservation of energy, helped formalize the idea that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. He also contributed to the development of the second law of thermodynamics, which encompasses the principles of entropy and the direction of energy transfer. His formulations set a foundation for understanding thermal processes and their limitations in physical systems.

Other scientists mentioned in the choices focused on different aspects of physics and thermodynamics but did not have the same foundational impact on the first and second laws as Lord Kelvin.