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Many people think Benjamin
Franklin discovered electricity
with his famous kite-flying
experiments in 1752, but
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.Learning how to produce
and use electricity was not
easy. For a long time there
was no dependable source
of electricity for experiments.
Finally, in 1800, Alessandro
Volta, an Italian scientist, made
a great discovery. He soaked
paper in salt water, placed zinc
and copper on opposite sides
of the paper, and watched the
chemical reaction produce
an electric current. Volta had
created the first electric cell.
By connecting many of these
cells together, Volta was able
to "string a current" and create
a battery. It is in honor of Volta that we measure battery power
in volts. Finally, a safe and dependable source of electricity was
available, making it easy for scientists to study electricity.
A Current Began
An English scientist, Michael Faraday, was the first one to realize that
an electric current could be produced by passing a magnet through
a copper wire. It was an amazing discovery. Almost all the electricity
we use today is made with magnets and coils of copper wire in giant
power plants.
Both the electric generator and electric motor are based on this
principle. A generator converts motion energy into electricity. A
motor converts electrical energy into motion energy.
Mr. Edison and
His Light
In 1879, Thomas Edison
focused on inventing a
practical light bulb, one that
would last a long time before
burning out. The problem was
finding a strong material for
the filament, the small wire
inside the bulb that conducts
electricity. Finally, Edison used
ordinary cotton thread that
had been soaked in carbon.
This filament didn't burn at
all---it became incandescent;
that is, it glowed.
The next challenge was developing an electrical system that could
provide people with a practical source of energy to power these new
lights. Edison wanted a way to make electricity both practical and
inexpensive. He designed and built the first electric power plant that
was able to produce electricity and carry it to people's homes.
Edison's Pearl Street Power Station started up its generator on
September 4, 1882, in New York City. About 85 customers in lower
Manhattan received enough power to light 5,000 lamps. His
customers paid a lot for their electricity, though. In today's dollars,
the electricity cost $5.00 per kilowatt-hour! Today, electricity costs
about 12 cents per kilowatt-hour for residential customers, and
about 7 cents per kilowatt-hour for industry.The turning point of the electric age came a few years later with
the development of AC (alternating current) power systems. With
alternating current, power plants could transport electricity much
farther than before. In 1895, George Westinghouse opened the first
major power plant at Niagara falls using alternating current. While
Edison's DC (direct current) plant could only transport electricity
within one square mile of his Pearl Street Power Station, the Niagara
Falls plant was able to transport electricity more than 200 miles!
Electricity didn't have an easy beginning. Many people were
thrilled with all the new inventions, but some people were afraid
of electricity and wary of bringing it into their homes. Many social
critics of the day saw electricity as an end to a simpler, less hectic way
of life. Poets commented that electric lights were less romantic than
gas lights. Perhaps they were right, but the new electric age could
not be dimmed.
In 1920, only two percent of the energy in the U. S. was used to make
electricity. Today, about 41 percent of all energy is used to make
electricity. As our use of technology grows, that figure will continue
to rise.
Electricity was first used for a specific purpose in 1800 when Italian scientist Alessandro Volta created the first electric battery, the forerunner to the batteries in use today. This proved that electric energy could travel through wire and was the first step toward the invention of the light bulb.
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What was the first solar battery used for?
The first solar battery was used for generating electricity power for some specific works, jobs and functions, which were to be required the power for completion of their targets and works.
Why can static electricity not to be used to run a television?
static electricity is static electricity
How is biomass used in the real world?
Its used to generate electricity!!!!:)
Which countries had electricity first?
Britain, USA, Australia.
What is Faraday's first law in eletrical engineering?
First LawThe quantity of a substance produced by electrolysis is proprotional to the quantity of electricity used.Second LawFor a given quantity of electricity the quantity of substance produced is proportional to its weight.
Which one was invent firstly electricity or bulb?
electricity came first because Thomas's bulb used electricity so electricity came first.
When was electricity first used in India?
Karnataka
Who first used electricity to produce light?
Mother Nature, lightning must be the first to produce light from electricity.
Which year did electricity first come in the world?
I want to know the year, the electricity was used for the first time.
How was the telegraph used?
the first method used to send messages by electricity.
When was electricity first used on the Isle of Skye?
It was used when BOB was born
Where was the first place was electricity used?
Electricity was first used in practical applications in the late 19th century in the United States, primarily for light bulbs and telegraphy. The first widely known demonstration of electricity was by Benjamin Franklin with his kite experiment in 1752, showing the existence of electricity in lightning.
Who effectively used electricity first?
Ben Franklin
Who used the first electricity in the Philippines?
some asian
When was electricity first used in cities in the world?
Electricity was first used in cities during the late 19th century. One of the first cities to have electric streetlights was Paris in 1878. The spread of electricity in cities accelerated throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s.
What did people first use for electricity?
People first used static electricity for basic experiments and demonstrations, such as rubbing amber to attract light objects. Later on, the development of the electrostatic generator allowed for more controlled generation of electricity, leading to further advancements in the field.
What is a Leyden Jar used for?
The leyden Jars purpose is the first discovery of electricity!
