S10-THE STORY OF ELECTRICITY

 By PRAGYANSHARMA POLAVARAPU (Vrs.Somanchi)

NEW FORM OF LIMITLESS ENERGY– DETECTED BY SCIENTISTS 150 YEARS BACK

One hundred fifty years ago it was not yet recognized that electricity was a new and hitherto unknown form of limitless  energy . It is now  a most important part of life  almost as important as air and water. One hundred fifty years ago it was known only to curious scientists as a mysterious new form of energy  created in laboratories in minute quantities with strange looking  “electric cells” .  The energy produced was weak i.e. of “low voltages” like pools of ankle deep water. Now we know of “high voltages” like energy of Niagara water falls. In those distant times the  electric cell, used  in experiments in conjunction with a magnetic compass, was  a laboratory toy . The Leclanche cells were small glass jars half filled with dangerous acid in which two “electrodes”, a small rectangular metal plate and a graphite rod were half immersed  and were  connected in an outside circuit through a thin long insulated  wire . When such an arrangement was created the mysterious new electrical energy  flowed through the long outer metal wire.The  Voltaic cells and Leclanche cells, the resistance
boxes and galvanometers were all   toys in the new electrical
laboratories.  Before the invention of the electric bulb the flow of
electric current in the outer wires was detected in the following way

(a) Little sparks jumped  between the ends of the long wires connected  from  the positive and negative sides of the cell when they were touched together.

(b) A small bar magnet kept hanging near the wire circuit  oscillated wildly when current was switched on/switched off The  galvanometer(invented on this principle) is connected directly into the current wire circuit. It contains a very sensitive freely hanging small magnet with a pointer which indicate slightest current flow in the wire coils. But these experiments did not much interest the general public
and the big world outside! People of today   watching a tennis match
live  from Wimbledon or recording small videos with the digital phone may feel like laughing remembering these early days of research in the electrical science.After a few decades of intensive observation, scientists discovered several laws governing the  electrical and magnetic phenomena .Michael Faraday(1791-1867), considered as one of the greatest experimental scientists of all time, could produce electricity in an insulated  wire coil(not connected to any source of electricity) by moving a bar magnet towards and away from the wire coil . Scientists of those times perhaps were not fully aware of the  nature of electricity . Magnetic field lines crossing an insulated wire coil awakened  the billions and billions of electrons moving in a chaotic way  in the metal wire. When a magnet moves nearby, the billions and billions of electron soldiers suddenly fall into military like formation and start moving in a single stream. In one experiment he could make a vertical current carrying wire rotate on its own around a vertically fixed bar magnet as long as current flowed in the wire. This original idea of Faraday soon led to creation of electric motor with a long rotating armature i.e. a machine which could rotate wheels. Faraday foresaw  a new world of gigantic sturdy machines producing the new energy called electricity and capable of turning  huge factory wheels. He foresaw great future uses for electricity. But it  was all only in his mind. It surely must have been  a period of quite  feverish experimentation by several electrical engineers and scientists in their laboratories filled with electric toys. The electric toys would give a rude shock (a small kick!) ifcarelessly handled.

THE ENGINEERS TOOK OVER AND CREATED THE BIG DYNAMOS AND MOTORS 

In 1850, the British prime minister Mr. William Gladstone
asked Faraday why he considered electricity as a new form of valuable energy . Faraday answered, “One day sir, you may tax it.” These were prophetic words and have become famous.  In course of time  engineers created electric machines to utilize electricity on industrial scale. The dynamos started producing very high voltage electricity . Powerful electric motors started turning factory wheels of big industrial machines. On the domestic front , in millions of homes electricity was used for lighting and heating  and  to turn electric fans and other electric motor-based machines. Now
electrical energy has become a chief source of revenue generating millions of dollars.There is another  interesting story .When the famed
versatile scientist-wizard, the  US inventor Thomas Alva Edison (1847 –1931)died his body lay in state for two days for public homage. It was Edison who invented electric bulb, gramophone and cinematography. He also observed some interesting electrical  phenomena that led to invention of diode valves  which in turn led to creation of computers . President Hoover asked Americans to switch off lights all over USA as a mark of respect
to the great scientist but only for one minute. The president  explained that if electric power was shut for any longer
period it may result in death of many persons. Electrical  energy is
 required every moment and should flow nonstop out of the plug points on the wall! The president  added( in his own words) “This demonstration of the dependence of the country upon electrical current for its life and health is in itself a monument to Mr. Edison’s genius.”