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Short Stories for Teachers

A Closer Look at Who Invented Electricity
By:Kenny Leones

As one of the most common and widely used sources of energy, electricity has a long history that goes back as far as the ancient Egypt period. It is also plays a highly significant role in modern society, which is used to give light and convenience to every home. Furthermore, it is also used in the operations of major businesses, especially to operate all kinds of machineries. For a better understanding of this wonderful energy source, it is good to know who invented electricity.

The Inventor of Electricity

Who invented electricity? According to many history books, Thales of Miletus is one of the many names that arise when people talk about the discovery of the use of electricity, who can be traced back as early as 600 B.C. As an early researcher of electricity, he used to rub fur against other things. Later on, he found that such objects were attracted to one another. He also tried to do the same thing with amber, wherein he found that friction causes the amber to become magnetic. These findings helped established the foundation of the relationship between electricity and magnetism.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Details

Before people became aware of the existence of electricity, they already have an idea of shocks from electric fish. In ancient Egypt, this type of fish was called Thunderer of the Nile. Patients with diseases like headaches or gouts put into direct contact with this marine animal in the hope that it can serve as cure for such medical conditions. Torpedo rays and catfish were also known to deliver electric shocks.

In modern times, many individuals conducted extensive research on electricity, some of the most notable of which were Stephen Gray, Robert Boyle and Otto von Guericke. By the 18th century, one of the founders of the United States named Benjamin Franklin also performed extensive studies on electricity. After him came Italian physicist Luigi Galvani, who was known for his significant findings in the field of bioelectricity. He was also credited for using electricity as a medium where nerve cells transferred signals to the human muscles.

From 1819 to 1820, Andre-Marie Ampere and Hans Christian Orsted started to recognize electromagnetism as the union of magnetic and electric phenomena. In 1821, Michael Faraday became the very first one to invent the electric motor, which was significant in the use of electricity as an energy source. Meanwhile, George Ohm was credited for analyzing the electrical circuit mathematically in 1827. Other major contributors to the progress of electrical engineering during the late 19th century include Otto Blathy, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. It is also important to recognize the contributions of other individuals like Alexander Graham Bell, Ernst Werner von Siemens and George Westinghouse.

Please click these links if you want to know more about who invented electricity or who invented electricity in general - http://www.whoinventedit.net/who-invented-electricity.html.






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