Have you ever considered what it might be like to live without electricity? Ever consider all those insignificant actions that start with a click or a button push and somehow improve your life? Do you know who discovered, or rather invented, electricity? It has always been and continues to be a vital component in the growth of both individuals and society.
It is a sign for the capacity to learn and apply creativity. Even though electricity has made civilization progress easier, not everyone is aware of its inventor. It should be acknowledged right away that electricity was a finding rather than a true invention. From that point on, studies were conducted one at a time until all the information was obtained.
History of electricity
Regarding the origins of electrical use and its history, there exist multiple intricate ideas. However, a variety of studies have combined to produce the present usage of energy.
Girolamo Cardano, who combined magnetic and electric forces in his treatise De Subtilitate, examined the earliest static electricity data as early as 1550. However, it wasn’t until the 18th century that scientists Pieter Van Musschenbroek and Ewald Georg Von Kleist invented the Leyden bottle, which was the first capacitor.
Benjamin Franklin later connected all of this study to his 1752 kite flying experiment. The scientist flew a kite during a rainstorm and fastened a key to its string. Lightning was a type of electricity as static electricity and lighting were the same thing, as demonstrated by the shock of light that was produced when it flowed through the key. Franklin kept researching positive and negative charges until he came to previously unthinkable results.
The development of several electrical research projects by Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, and Alexander Graham Bell marked the next chapter in the history of this. Among these were the inventions of the telegraph, telephone, light bulb, power distribution, first electric locomotive, and induction motor.
Who invented electricity?
It would be more accurate to ask who found electricity rather than who invented it. Since this is a collection of physical occurrences, it was discovered rather than created. Since he was able to provide energy to illuminate an incandescent light bulb in 1879, Thomas Edison is credited with the creation of electricity, even though the use of electricity as we know it today is the result of much research and years of development. Although Edison did not create electricity per se, he did further the work of previous scientists, such as Alessandro Volta with his voltaic pile (1800).
Nonetheless, Edison was the first to produce safe and long-lasting electric light. He was able to create an incandescent carbon filament with a persistent electric current. This filament was effectively stretched, lighting up houses and streets, and it was contained in a glass bell.
Electricity and the Development of mankind
According to data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), having access to modern electricity is essential for both economic growth and human advancement. It also has a direct impact on community communication, basic services delivery, productivity, literacy, and sanitation.
The Human Development Index, or HDI, is a tool used to assess how far a nation or area has come. Life expectancy, education (examining adult literacy rate and enrollments combining primary, secondary, and tertiary education), and standard of living (calculating gross domestic product per capita and purchasing power inequality) are the three indicators that are considered.
These indicators demonstrate how Yemen, Senegal, and Kenya are the countries most impacted by this situation. Based on them, the HDI and the International Energy Agency have confirmed that there is a direct relationship between energy consumption and the population’s quality of life in some countries.
The correlation between power usage and GDP is the clearest indication of the use of energy for human growth. The GDP growth rate of nations with higher power consumption tends to be higher than that of nations with lower consumption. This is due to the fact that economic operations like transportation, communication, and the creation of products and services all require power.
Utilizing electricity has also stimulated creativity, which is vital to human progress. One instance is the 20th-century digital revolution, which was mostly brought about by rising it’s use.
Some benefits of electricity as an energy source
- Because of its adaptability, electricity is not only the most convenient energy to consume, but it is also a vital source for the growth of communities. It may be brought to a lot of cities and villages because of the development of cable networks. In a similar vein, it has a great range and can provide electricity to remote locations.
- On the other hand, ongoing research and development in artificial lighting have produced more environmentally friendly ways to increase energy efficiency. Similarly, the majority of modern technical advancements, including network connectivity, would not have been possible without electricity.
- Electricity has also been utilized by scientific labs to develop and innovate new techniques, such as electrolysis, which uses electric currents to break down chemical substances into their constituent parts.
