ELECTRICITY 1

Important Historical Figures

Electricity B.C. The word electricity

came from the ancient Greek word electron which meant ‘amber’ or ‘amber like.’

Many ancient cultures may have interacted with electricity but it is unclear as to whether or not they had any real understanding of it.

The “Baghdad Batteries,” are thought to be an example of early electricity.

It is uncertain as to whether or not these existed and even if they did their power generation was likely minimal.

Thales of Miletus

Pre Socratic Philosopher.One of the Seven Sages of

ancient Greece.Aristotle viewed him as Greece’s

original philosopher.Studied the attraction that would

occur between fur and another object once the fur had been rubbed with amber.

He felt the amber was causing some form of magnetism.

His mistake was that it was causing static electricity (rubbing a balloon)

William Gilbert

William Gilbert – 1544 -1603 English physician, physicist and natural

philosopher. In 1600 he published a book called “De

Magnete”; which means “on the magnet”. This became the authority on electricity and

magnetism throughout Europe. One of his largest contributions was to fix

Thales of Miletus’ mistake. He made the difference between static

electricity and magnetism clear. Coined the New Latin word electricus which

would become the modern word electricity.

Otto von Guericke

Otto von Guericke – 1602 - 1686 German physicist and mayor. Famous for his Magdeburg vacuum

experiments where he invented the first simple electrostatic generator.

An electrostatic generator is a machine that can generate static electricity; usually by utilizing mechanical rotation.

Stephen Gray

Stephen Gray – 1666 - 1736 English dyer and amateur astronomer. He began experimenting with conducting

electricity versus transporting static charges. When he was exploring how glass tubes that were

rubbed to gain a static charge could produce light effects he stumbled upon the idea of conduction.

He noticed that not only did the tubes attract objects like feathers (which was known) but the cork he used to close the tube also did (new discovery).

He hypothesized that the tube must have passed on its electrical properties to the cork.

Stephen Gray Summarized Conductors are

objects that allow electricity to flow through them.

Conductors need to be insulated from ground contact.

Insulators are objects/materials that do not allow electricity to flow through them.

One of history’s Eureka moments.

Charles Francois de Cisternay du Fay

C.F. du Fay – 1698 - 1739 French Chemist. Discovered two types/properties of electricity

that he named vitreous and resinous. These are now called positive and negative. He also explored the concept of conductors

and insulators only he called them electrics and non-electrics.

His explorations laid the foundation for future discoveries.