Trystan Casey
The study of electricity and its properties is a complex and wide-ranging field that has evolved over centuries. From early observations of static electricity by Thales of Miletus around 600 BCE to the groundbreaking work of scientists like William Gilbert, Michael Faraday, and James Prescott Joule, our understanding of electricity has significantly advanced. Today, electricity is recognised as a fundamental aspect of the unified field of electromagnetism, with charged particles generating electric fields and producing magnetic forces. This knowledge has paved the way for various scientific and engineering disciplines, such as electrical engineering, electronics, and solid-state physics, which focus on harnessing and utilising electrical phenomena for practical applications. Electrical engineering, in particular, emerged as a distinct profession in the 19th century, driving innovations in power generation, telecommunications, and electronics. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of electricity, its role in shaping our modern world becomes increasingly evident.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the science | Electrical engineering |
| What they study | Electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism |
| What they do | Study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity |
| Fields | Computer engineering, systems engineering, power engineering, telecommunications, radio-frequency engineering, signal processing, instrumentation, photovoltaic cells, electronics, optics and photonics |
| Overlapping disciplines | Hardware engineering, power electronics, electromagnetics and waves, microwave engineering, nanotechnology, electrochemistry, renewable energies, mechatronics/control, and electrical materials |
| Degree | Bachelor of Science in Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Technology, or Bachelor of Applied Science |
| Degree length | 4-5 years |
| Degree units | Physics, mathematics, computer science, project management, and electrical engineering |
| Postgraduate degree | Master of Engineering/Master of Science (MEng/MSc), Master of Engineering Management, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering, Engineering Doctorate (Eng.D.), or an Engineer's degree |
| Date emerged | Second half of the 19th century |
| First department | Cornell University, 1885 |
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What You'll Learn
History of electricity
The study of electricity, known as "electricity and magnetism" or electromagnetism, is a branch of physics. It deals with the interaction between electric charges and currents, and how they generate electromagnetic fields.
The history of electricity is a long and complex one, stretching back to ancient civilizations. As early as 2750 BCE, ancient Egyptians described electric fish as the "protectors" of all other fish. Electric fish were also reported by ancient Greek, Roman, and Arab naturalists and physicians. Several ancient writers, including Pliny the Elder and Scribonius Largus, described the numbing electric shocks delivered by electric catfish and rays. They also knew that these shocks could travel along conducting objects.
In the 6th century BCE, the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus made a series of observations on static electricity. He experimented with amber rods, discovering that when amber was rubbed with another substance, like fur, it attracted small objects such as feathers or straw. This was among the first recorded instances of someone recognizing and documenting electrical phenomena.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, scientific revolutions and breakthroughs further advanced our understanding of electricity. In 1752, Thomas-Francois Dalibard, following Benjamin Franklin's suggestion, successfully extracted electricity from a thunderstorm using a metal rod, proving that lightning was electrical in nature.
The development of the theory of electromagnetism in the 19th century marked significant progress. In 1800, Alessandro Volta invented the voltaic pile, the first battery to produce a continuous electric current. This was followed by Michael Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic induction in 1831 and his work on electric fields in 1833. These breakthroughs paved the way for the industrial and residential application of electricity by electrical engineers by the end of the century.
The late 19th century witnessed the "War of the Currents" between Thomas Edison's direct current (DC) system and Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse's alternating current (AC) system. The AC system ultimately prevailed due to its efficiency in long-distance electricity transmission. Edison built the world's first power station in New York City in 1882, marking another milestone in the history of electricity.
In recent years, significant developments have been made in renewable energy, energy storage, and nuclear technology, reshaping how we generate, store, and use electricity.
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Atoms and their structure
Atoms are the smallest unit of matter that can exist without releasing electrically charged particles. They are the building blocks of the universe, with everything in the universe, including the human body, air, and water, being made up of atoms. Atoms are so small that millions of them can fit on the head of a pin.
An atom is composed of two regions: the nucleus and the outer region. The nucleus is at the center of the atom and is made up of particles called protons and neutrons. Protons have a positive electrical charge, while neutrons are electrically neutral. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number, and it defines the type of atom or element. The number of neutrons in the nucleus is denoted by N. The mass number of the nucleus is equal to the sum of the atomic number and the number of neutrons. The diameter of a nucleus depends on the number of particles it contains and ranges from about 4 femtometers for a light nucleus to 15 femtometers for a heavy nucleus. The nucleus is extremely small compared to the overall size of the atom, typically less than one ten-thousandth of the atom's size, yet it contains more than 99.9% of the atom's mass.
The outer region of the atom holds electrons, which are negatively charged particles that orbit around the nucleus in shells. Electrons are attracted to the positive force of the protons, which binds them to the nucleus. The outermost shell of an atom is called the valence shell, and when it is filled with the maximum number of electrons, the atom is stable. However, the electrons in the outermost shells can sometimes have a weaker force of attraction to the protons, and they can be pushed out of their orbits by an external force. These shifting electrons are what constitute electricity.
There are more than 90 types of atoms found in nature, and each kind of atom forms a different chemical element. Chemical elements are made up of only one type of atom, and they are ranked according to their atomic number on the periodic table. At present, there are 118 known elements, with elements 1-98 found naturally and elements 99-118 produced artificially.
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Electrical engineering
The science that deals with the study of electricity is electrical engineering. Electrical engineering is a technical discipline that involves the study, design, and application of electricity. Electrical engineers design and work on devices and systems using electrical components such as resistors, capacitors, and transistors.
To understand electricity, one must first understand the basics of voltage, current, and resistance. Voltage is the force that pushes electrons through a circuit, current is the flow of electrons, and resistance is anything that impedes the flow of electrons. These three concepts are related by Ohm's law, which states that the voltage across a resistor is directly proportional to the current through it.
Electrical engineers must also understand the basics of atoms, as electricity is a product of the interactions between atoms and their constituent particles. Atoms are the building blocks of the universe, made up of a nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons in shells. Protons have a positive charge, electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons carry no charge. The number of protons in an atom determines what type of atom it is, or its element.
Additionally, electrical engineers should have a basic understanding of electromagnetism, which is the interaction between electricity and magnetism. Electromagnetism was first discovered by Hans Christian Ørsted in 1820 when he observed the current in a wire disturbing the needle of a magnetic compass.
Some key concepts that electrical engineering students should know include components (such as fets, bjts, and passives), power electronics, control theory, and embedded programming.
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Electronics
The early growth of electronics was rapid, with vacuum tubes (thermionic valves) being the first active electronic components to control current flow by influencing individual electrons. This enabled the development of equipment that used current amplification and rectification to give us radio, television, radar, and long-distance telephony. By the 1920s, commercial radio broadcasting and telecommunications were widespread, and electronic amplifiers were being used in diverse fields. The next significant technological advancement came in 1947 with the invention of the first working point-contact transistor, which played a pivotal role in the field of electronics.
The semiconductor industry is a key driver of the electronics industry, continuously producing more advanced electronic devices and circuits to meet global demand. The MOSFET, invented between 1955 and 1960, was the first compact transistor that could be miniaturized and mass-produced, revolutionizing the electronics industry. The complexity of circuits continued to grow, leading to the invention of the integrated circuit, which solved the problem of speed limitations in computers by using the same block of semiconductor material for all components and the chip.
Electronic devices have had a profound impact on numerous aspects of modern society, including telecommunications, entertainment, education, healthcare, industry, and security. The development of electronic devices and systems has also influenced other industries, such as e-commerce, which generated over $29 trillion in online sales in 2017. The study and application of electronics are integral to electrical engineering, with electrical engineers often possessing degrees in electrical/electronics engineering or related fields.
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Electricity and magnetism
The study of electricity and magnetism dates back to ancient times, with civilisations such as the Chinese, Mayans, and Greeks observing and theorising about lightning, static electricity, and the attractive properties of the mineral magnetite. However, it was not until the 17th and 18th centuries that a more advanced theoretical understanding of electricity began to emerge, with the English scientist William Gilbert making a careful study of electricity and magnetism, distinguishing between the lodestone effect and static electricity.
In the 19th century, the development of the theory of electromagnetism marked significant progress in the field of electricity. This led to its industrial and residential application by electrical engineers by the end of the century. Electrical engineering emerged as an identifiable occupation during this time, focusing on the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that utilise electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. Electrical engineers typically possess a degree in electrical engineering or a related field, with programs covering physics, mathematics, computer science, and various topics in electrical engineering.
Electricity is a branch of physics that deals with the effects associated with the presence and motion of electrically charged particles. These particles, such as protons and electrons, carry an electrical charge. Protons have a positive charge, while electrons have a negative charge, and these opposite charges attract each other. Atoms, which are the building blocks of the universe, are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Electrons spin around the nucleus of an atom in shells, and these shifting electrons are what constitute electricity.
Magnetism, on the other hand, is concerned with the effects associated with magnetic fields. Unlike electric charges, magnetic fields do not arise from separate magnetic charges. Instead, they are caused by the motion of electric charges or their intrinsic magnetic properties. Magnetic poles attract or repel each other in a manner similar to positive and negative charges, and they always exist in pairs, with a north pole yoked to a south pole.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no specific word for a scientist who studies electricity, but the general area of specialty would be physics.
Some pioneers of electricity include Michael Faraday, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and John Bardeen.
Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction, and his work formed the foundation of electric motor technology. Nikola Tesla invented the Tesla coil, which produces high voltage and low amperage, allowing for the creation of lightning-fast motors and transmitters. Thomas Edison patented his first invention, a vote register and recorder, in 1869. John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William B. Shockley's research at Bell Telephone Lab on semiconductors led to the creation of the first transistor, for which they won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956.
Electricity is one of the most important inventions in human history and has led to many conveniences we take for granted today, such as smartphones, computers, and cars.
