Umair Gaines
The use of electricity as we know it today is the result of much research and development. Many people think Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity in 1752 with his famous kite-flying experiments. However, electricity was not discovered all at once. At first, electricity was associated with light. People wanted a cheap and safe way to light their homes, and scientists thought electricity might be a way. In 1800, Alessandro Volta, an Italian scientist, made a great discovery when he placed zinc and copper on either side of paper soaked in saltwater and observed the production of an electric current. Later, Thomas Edison illuminated an incandescent lightbulb with energy, and is often credited with the invention of electricity. However, it is more accurate to say that he discovered electricity, as electricity is a set of physical phenomena.
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What You'll Learn
Benjamin Franklin's kite experiment in 1752
Franklin's opportunity came when he realized he could use a kite to get closer to the clouds. On June 10, 1752, in a field just north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Franklin and his 22-year-old son, William, flew a kite made of silk during a thunderstorm. The kite had a metal key attached to the bottom of a conductive rope, and at the top, there was a small wooden cross holding a thin handkerchief and a foot-long pointed wire.
As the kite drew close to a dark cloud, the kite string became electrified. When Franklin brought his knuckle close to the key, he drew off sparks, proving that lightning was indeed a form of electricity. This experiment was dangerous, and some sources even claim that Franklin was foolish to attempt it. In fact, a German scientist who tried to recreate the experiment the following year was electrocuted and died.
Franklin's discovery was groundbreaking and captured the public's imagination. It earned him accolades from the French King and the British Royal Society, which awarded him their highest honour. Franklin's work also led to the invention of the lightning rod, which is still used today to prevent lightning-caused fires.
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Nikola Tesla and AC systems
While electricity is a natural force that exists in the world and didn't need to be invented, it did need to be discovered and understood. Most people give credit to Benjamin Franklin for discovering electricity in 1752 through his famous kite experiment. However, the word 'electricity' was already in use before him, and the ancient Indians and Greeks also experimented with electricity.
Nikola Tesla was an inventor and electrical engineer who created the AC induction motor and developed alternating current (AC). He is best known for his development of the AC electrical system and his work laid the foundation for modern electrical engineering and power generation.
In the late 19th century, two competing systems existed to generate electricity: direct current (DC) and AC. Thomas Edison, Tesla's rival, supported the use of DC power generation. However, it could not be transmitted economically over long distances. On the other hand, Tesla believed in AC power generation and invented the polyphase induction motor, which ushered in the Second Industrial Revolution.
In 1888, George Westinghouse, head of the Westinghouse Electric Company, bought the patent rights to Tesla's system of dynamos, transformers, and motors. Westinghouse used Tesla's AC system to light the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. In 1896, Tesla's system was used at Niagara Falls in the world's first large hydroelectric plant.
Today, our AC power system remains essentially unchanged from Tesla's original design, and he is credited with winning the 'war of currents' as his AC motor and polyphase AC system form the basis of all modern power generation and distribution.
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Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb
While electricity is a natural force that exists in our world, it had to be discovered and understood. Most people give credit to Benjamin Franklin for discovering electricity in 1752. Franklin conducted his famous kite experiment, attaching a key to the string of a kite and flying it during a thunderstorm. Electricity coursed through the key and caused a spark of light, proving that static electricity and illumination were the same and that lightning was a form of electricity.
Thomas Edison did not invent the lightbulb, but he is known to many as the "inventor of the electric light bulb". He first patented his carbon-filament lamp on 1 November 1879. His laboratory first produced promising results for this electrical lamp on 21 October 1879: a glowing carbonized thread that lasted for more than fourteen hours. Edison publicly demonstrated this invention at Menlo Park on 31 December 1879.
Edison's incandescent lamp design used a carbon filament housed in a glass bulb. The carbon filament was an improvement on earlier designs, making the lamp reliable, safe, and practical. This new design allowed for an electric lamp that could be used in homes and smaller areas. Edison's incandescent lamp paved the way for the universal domestic use of electric light.
While Edison's incandescent lamp was not the first instance of an incandescent light bulb, it was the first effective and commercially viable one. Early electric light experimentation dates back as far as 1802, with British inventors first demonstrating the possibility of electric light with the arc lamp. Humphrey Davy created the first incandescent light in 1802, and Joseph Swan created the first incandescent light bulb and demonstrated it in 1860, 19 years before Edison. However, these early bulbs were not very bright, had a short lifespan, and were expensive and energy-inefficient.
Edison's design changes and the materials he used allowed for an incandescent lamp that was safe and practical for domestic use. His lamp propelled the United States out of the gaslight era and into the electric age, reducing fire hazards within homes and factories.
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Ancient Indian writings on batteries
While most people attribute the discovery of electricity to Benjamin Franklin, it is important to note that the word electricity was already in use before him by Thomas Browne. Even before Browne, the English physician William Gilbert first used the Latin word 'electricus'.
However, ancient Indian writings suggest that the discovery of electricity may have occurred much earlier. The Agastya Samhita, written by Sage Agatsya (or Saint Agasthiyar) during the era of God Ram, is believed to be from more than 3000 years ago, with some estimates placing it at 170,000 years old. This ancient text describes a method for creating a dry electric cell with 1.138 volts and 23 mA, as well as an electroplating process and the generation of hydrogen balloons.
Sage Agatsya's text provides a recipe for a battery, instructing the reader to place a well-cleaned copper plate in an earthenware vessel, cover it with copper sulfate, and then with moist sawdust. A mercury-amalgamated zinc sheet is then placed on top of the sawdust to avoid polarization. This process results in the production of an electric current, and the text notes that a chain of one hundred jars would give a very effective force.
The modern battery cell resembles Agatsya's method of generating electricity, and his text also describes that water can be split into oxygen and hydrogen, a process that is now known as electrolysis. This ancient Indian text provides valuable insights into the early understanding of electricity and its potential applications.
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Michael Faraday's electromagnetic induction
While electricity is a natural phenomenon, the invention of modern electrical devices is attributed to several people, including Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Michael Faraday.
Michael Faraday, born in 1791, was a curious child who read every book he bound while working in a bookbinding shop in London. He became interested in the concept of energy and force, which led him to make important discoveries in electricity later in his life.
Faraday's work in electromagnetism and induction is particularly notable. He worked for ten years to prove that a magnet could induce electricity, and in 1831, he succeeded. Faraday's experiments in this field form the basis of modern electromagnetic technology.
Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic induction was a significant breakthrough. He demonstrated that a changing magnetic field could induce an electric current in a circuit. This phenomenon, known as electromagnetic induction, is described by Faraday's law of induction. This law states that the potential difference induced in a closed circuit is proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux through the loop.
Faraday's experiments with his "induction ring" led to the creation of the first electric transformer. He also discovered magneto-electric induction, which involves the production of a steady electric current. By rotating a copper disc between the poles of a horseshoe magnet, he obtained a continuous direct current, creating the first generator.
Faraday's work in electromagnetic induction had a profound impact on the development of electrical technology. His discoveries led to the modern electric motor, generator, and transformer. James Clerk Maxwell later built upon Faraday's insights, incorporating them into his broader electromagnetic theory in the early 1860s.
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Frequently asked questions
Since electricity is a natural force, it didn't have to be invented, but rather discovered and understood. Most people give credit to Benjamin Franklin for discovering electricity through his famous kite experiment in 1752.
Electricity is the movement of electrons between atoms, which generate an electrical charge.
Benjamin Franklin attached a key to the string of a kite and flew it during a thunderstorm. Electricity coursed through the key, causing a shock of light, and proving that static electricity and lightning were the same thing.
The history of electricity continued with Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell, who developed different research related to electricity. Their work included the creation of the induction motor, the light bulb, power distribution, the first electric locomotive, the telegraph, and the telephone.
Thomas Edison is often attributed with the invention of electricity since he managed to illuminate an incandescent lightbulb with energy in 1879. He designed and built the first electric power plant, which produced electricity and carried it to people's homes.
