William Henry

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William Henry, detail of an engraving by H. Cousins after a portrait by James Lonsdale

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William Henry

British chemist

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 8, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

Born:: Dec. 12, 1775, Manchester

Died:: Sept. 2, 1836, Pendlebury, Lancashire, Eng. (aged 60)

Subjects Of Study:: Henry’s law

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William Henry (born Dec. 12, 1775, Manchester—died Sept. 2, 1836, Pendlebury, Lancashire, Eng.) was an English physician and chemist who in 1803 proposed what is now called Henry’s law, which states that the amount of a gas absorbed by a liquid is in proportion to the pressure of the gas above the liquid, provided that no chemical action occurs.

Henry took his doctor of medicine degree at Edinburgh (1807). When ill health forced him to retire from medical practice, he turned to chemistry. He was awarded the Copley Medal in 1808 and the following year became a fellow of the Royal Society. His Elements of Experimental Chemistry went through 11 editions. He took his own life.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.