Who discovered electricity? Research and discovery

It is difficult to find a person who would not be familiar with electricity. But to find someone who knows the history of his discovery is much more difficult. Who discovered electricity? What is this phenomenon?

A little bit about electricity

The concept of "electricity" denotes the form of the motion of matter, embraces the phenomenon of the existence and interaction of charged particles. The term appeared in 1600 from the word "electron", which from the Greek translates as "amber". The author of this concept is William Gilbert - a man who opened electricity to Europe.

This concept, first of all not an artificial invention, but a phenomenon connected with the property of some bodies. Therefore, the question: "Who opened the electricity?" - it's not easy to answer. In nature, it manifests itself in the form of lightning, which is due to various charges of the upper and lower layers of the planet's atmosphere.

It is an important part of human and animal life, because the work of the nervous system is carried out through electrical impulses. Some fish, such as rays and eels, generate electricity to kill prey or the enemy. Many plants, such as the venus flytrap, mimosa shy, are also capable of producing electrical discharges.

Who discovered electricity?

There is a suggestion that people studied electricity in ancient China and India. However, there is no confirmation of this. It is more certain to believe that the ancient Greek scholar Thales discovered static electricity .

He was a well-known mathematician and philosopher, lived in the city of Miletus, approximately in the VI-V centuries BC. It is believed that Thales discovered the property of amber to attract small objects, such as a feather or hair, if you rub it with a woolen cloth. No practical application of this phenomenon was found, and it was left without attention.

In 1600, the Englishman William Gilbert publishes a work on magnetic bodies, which gives facts about the related nature of magnetism and electricity, and also provides evidence that other minerals, for example, opal, amethyst, diamond, sapphire, can be electrified, in addition to amber. Bodies that can electrify the scientist dubbed electricians, and the property itself - electricity. It was he who first suggested that lightning is connected with electricity.

Electrical experiments

After Gilbert studies in this area, the German burgomaster Otto von Guericke occupied himself. Although he was not the first to open electricity, he managed to influence the course of scientific history. Otto became the author of an electrostatic machine that looked like a sulfur ball, rotating on a metal rod. Thanks to this invention, it was possible to find out that electrified bodies can not only attract, but also repel. Research burgomaster formed the basis of electrostatics.

Then followed a series of studies, including using an electrostatic machine. Stephen Gray in 1729 changed the device to Gerike, replacing the sulfur ball with a glass, and, continuing the experiments, discovered the phenomenon of electrical conductivity. A little later, Charles Dufet discovers the presence of two types of charge - from glass and from resins.

In 1745 Peter van Mushenbrook and Jurgen von Kleist, believing that water accumulates a charge, create a "Leiden jar" - the world's first condenser. Benjamin Franklin argues that accumulates the charge is not water, but glass. He also introduces the terms "plus" and "minus" for electric charges, "capacitor", "charge" and "conductor."

Great discoveries

At the end of the 18th century, electricity became a serious object of research. Now special attention is paid to the study of dynamic processes and the interaction of particles. On the stage comes an electric current.

In 1791, Galvani speaks of the existence of physiological electricity, which is present in the muscles of animals. Following him, Alessandro Volta invents a galvanic element - a volt pole. It was the first constant current source. Thus, Volta - a scientist who discovered electricity again, because his invention was the beginning for the practical and multifunctional use of electricity.

In 1802, the opening of the voltaic arc Vasily Petrov. Antoine Nolle creates an electroscope and explores the effect of electricity on living organisms. And already in 1809 the Physicist Delarue invented an incandescent lamp.

Further, the relationship between magnetism and electricity is studied. Om, Lenz, Gauss, Amper, Joule, Faraday are working on the research. The latter creates the first energy generator and electric motor, opens the law of electrolysis and electromagnetic induction.

In the twentieth century, Maxwell (the theory of electromagnetic phenomena), Curie (discovered piezoelectricity), Thomson (discovered electron) and many others are also engaged in electricity research.

Conclusion

Of course, one can not say with certainty who opened the electricity in reality. The phenomenon exists in nature, and it is quite possible that it was discovered before Thales. However, many scientists such as William Gilbert, Otto von Guericke, Volta and Galvani, Om, Ampere, definitely contributed to our life today.