Beatrice Lang
The first form of electricity was static electricity, discovered by the ancient Greeks. They observed that particles of dust could be made to cling to amber, and that electric fish could be used to treat epilepsy and gout. The ancient Greeks also coined the term electricity in the early 1600s, deriving it from the Greek word for amber. In the 6th century BC, Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus experimented with amber rods, marking the first studies into the production of electricity. In the 18th century, humans began harnessing electricity, with Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment in 1752 playing a key role in developing electrical systems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First form of electricity | Static electricity |
| Discovery of static electricity | Attributed to Thales of Miletus, a Greek philosopher |
| Year of discovery | 500 B.C. |
| Method of discovery | By rubbing fur on amber |
| First documentation of electricity | 500 B.C. |
| First studies into the production of electricity | 6th century B.C. |
| First theories about electricity | Published by English physician and physicist William Gilbert in the 1600s |
| First electrical generator | Invented by Michael Faraday in 1831 |
| First electric battery | Invented by Alessandro Volta in 1800 |
| First home with electricity | Thomas Edison's residence in 1878 |
| First American home with hydroelectricity | A house in Appleton, Wisconsin in September 1882 |
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What You'll Learn
Static electricity
The first documentation of electricity dates back to 500 BC when the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus discovered static electricity by rubbing amber with fur. Static electricity is a form of electricity that results from an imbalance of positive and negative charges within a material. This occurs when electrons (the negatively charged particles in an atom) move from one material to another.
The triboelectric effect occurs when two materials are in contact, and electrons move from one material to the other, leaving an excess of positive charge on one material and an equal negative charge on the other. When the materials are separated, they retain this charge imbalance. It is also possible for ions to be transferred. Electrons or ions can be exchanged between materials when they slide against each other, resulting in one material becoming positively charged and the other negatively charged.
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Lightning and electricity
Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere between clouds, the air, or the ground. It is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on the ground.
Lightning involves a near-instantaneous release of energy on a scale averaging between 200 megajoules and 7 gigajoules. The air around the lightning flash rapidly heats up to temperatures of about 30,000 °C (54,000 °F), which is hotter than the surface of the sun. There is an emission of electromagnetic radiation across a wide range of wavelengths, some visible as a bright flash. Lightning also causes thunder, a sound from the shock wave that develops as heated gases in the vicinity of the discharge experience a sudden increase in pressure.
Lightning is considered an Essential Climate Variable by the World Meteorological Organization, and its scientific study is called fulminology. There are three primary forms of lightning distinguished by where they occur: Intra-cloud (IC) or in-cloud, which occurs within a single thundercloud; Cloud-to-cloud (CC) or inter-cloud, which occurs between two clouds; and Cloud-to-ground (CG), which occurs between a cloud and the ground and is referred to as a lightning strike. CG lightning is the least common but the best-understood type as it is easier to measure with instruments on the ground. It poses the greatest threat to life and property.
Lightning is caused by an imbalance between the positive and negative charges that build up in a thundercloud. In the early stages of development, air acts as an insulator between the positive and negative charges in the cloud and between the cloud and the ground. When the opposite charges build up enough, this insulating capacity of the air breaks down, and there is a rapid discharge of electricity that we know as lightning. The flash of lightning temporarily equalizes the charged regions in the atmosphere until the opposite charges build up again.
Scientists think that the two largest charge regions in most storms are caused mainly by graupel carrying a negative charge in the middle of the storm and ice particles carrying a positive charge in the upper part of the storm. A small positive charge region is often below the main negative charge region due to graupel gaining positive charge at lower, warmer altitudes.
Lightning has been known since antiquity, but it was Benjamin Franklin who demonstrated that lightning was electrical with his famous kite experiment in 1752. Franklin's invention of lightning rods also helped attract and capture lightning, directing it into the ground.
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The first electrical generator
The design was inefficient due to self-cancelling counterflows of current in regions of the disk that were not under the influence of the magnetic field. While current was induced directly underneath the magnet, the current would circulate backward in regions outside the influence of the magnetic field. This counterflow limited the power output to the pickup wires and induced waste heating of the copper disc.
Independently of Faraday, Ányos Jedlik began experimenting in 1827 with electromagnetic rotating devices, which he called electromagnetic self-rotors. In 1832, Frenchman Hippolyte Pixii built the first dynamo generator, which created pulses of electricity separated by no current. This was the first practical electric generator, and the first capable of delivering power for industry.
The dynamo-electric machine employed self-powering electromagnetic field coils rather than permanent magnets to create the stator field. The use of electromagnets instead of permanent magnets greatly increased power output and enabled high-power generation for the first time. This invention led directly to the first major industrial uses of electricity.
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Direct and alternating current
The first documentation in the history of electricity dates back to 500 B.C. when the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus discovered static electricity by rubbing fur on amber. However, it was not until the 1600s that English physician and physicist William Gilbert published the first theories about electricity in his book, *De Magnete. *
In the 1800s, the debate around direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) began to emerge. Direct current is a unidirectional flow of electricity from the positive part of a circuit to the negative. Alternating current, on the other hand, is a current that reverses direction repeatedly, with the voltage and current alternating.
Direct current is typically produced by batteries and is required by most electronic devices. The voltage and current in DC circuits can vary over time, but the direction of the flow does not change. This constant flow of current can make interrupting DC circuits challenging, especially at high voltages, as it can sustain electrical arcs when a circuit is broken, potentially damaging equipment and posing safety risks.
Alternating current is the type of current used to deliver power to homes, offices, and other buildings. It is produced by devices called alternators, which are special types of electrical generators. AC is advantageous for long-distance electricity transmission because it can easily be modified by transformers to change voltage levels. The rapid oscillation of AC facilitates this long-distance transmission, making it the global standard for electrical grid infrastructure.
While AC is the standard for electricity transmission and powering homes and businesses, DC plays an increasingly important role with the growing adoption of electric vehicles and renewable solar power. DC is also better for certain applications, such as storing electricity in batteries.
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Electric batteries
The first form of electricity was discovered by accident when, in 500 BC, the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus discovered static electricity by rubbing fur on amber. However, it was not until the 1600s that English physician and physicist William Gilbert published the first theories about electricity in his book, *De Magnete*. The next major text about electricity, *Experiments and Notes about the Mechanical Origin or Production of Electricity*, was published in 1675 by English chemist and physicist Robert William Boyle.
In 1800, Alessandro Volta invented the first electric battery, which was followed by the Daniell cell in 1836, invented by English professor of chemistry John Frederic Daniell. Daniell's invention was the first practical source of electricity and provided a longer and more reliable current than the Voltaic cell. It was also safer and less corrosive, with an operating voltage of roughly 1.1 volts. The Daniell cell soon became the industry standard, especially with the new telegraph networks.
In 1882, Thomas Edison developed the direct current (DC) system, which was used to power the first American home to be powered by electricity, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Over the next several years, a debate surrounding the use of direct current versus alternating current (AC) ensued, with Edison and George Westinghouse (who championed AC) competing for contracts.
The first mass-produced battery model was the Columbia dry cell, first marketed by the National Carbon Company in 1896. This battery was the first convenient battery for the masses and made portable electrical devices practical, leading directly to the invention of the flashlight.
In 1899, a Swedish scientist named Waldemar Jungner invented the nickel-cadmium battery, a rechargeable battery that has nickel and cadmium electrodes in a potassium hydroxide solution. It was the first battery to use an alkaline electrolyte. In parallel, in 1887, Wilhelm Hellesen and Sakizō Yai of Japan developed their own dry cell designs.
In the 2000s, developments included batteries with embedded electronics, such as the USBCELL, which allows for charging an AA battery through a USB connector, and nanoball batteries, which allow for a discharge rate about 100 times greater than current batteries.
Today, the most popular type of rechargeable battery is the lithium-ion (Li-ion) cell, which has the highest share of the dry cell rechargeable market.
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Frequently asked questions
The first form of electricity was static electricity, discovered by the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus in 500 B.C. He discovered that particles of dust could be made to cling to amber.
Humans began harnessing electricity in the 18th century, a process expedited by Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment in 1752.
The first electric battery, known as the voltaic pile, was invented by Italian scientist Alessandro Volta in 1800.
Many scientists contributed to our understanding of electricity. However, Benjamin Franklin, Michael Faraday, and Thomas Edison played pivotal roles in developing electrical systems as we know them today.
