An important French scientist, he studied from 1798 to 1800 at the École Polytechnique of Paris, where he then began his career as professor of physics and chemistry. In 1804 he conducted various experiments on the composition of the atmosphere and on variations in the terrestrial magnetic field, utilising aerostats filled with hydrogen. He also engaged in quantitative study of the properties of gases. He conducted important experiments on gases, studying their behavior under changes in temperature with constant pressure. His fame is still today associated with the laws on gases that bear his name.