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Energy Inventors
You’ve heard of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison. Did you know there are hundreds of other inventors who helped the world understand how energy works?
In fact, many energy words are named for the inventors who discovered them or first explained them.
Take a look at these famous scientists to find out how they changed the world with their experiments!
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Benjamin Franklin- Lived in: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Discovered: Positive and negative electrical charges, and that lightning is a form of electricity (the famous “kite and key” experiment).
- Invented: Lightning rod, Franklin stove, swimming fins, bifocal lenses for eyeglasses, odometer (which measures distance)
Learn more about Benjamin Franklin
Did you know?
Benjamin Franklin was the first Postmaster General of the United States. He was also a founder of the University of Pennsylvania and started the first public library in America.
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James Watt- Lived in: Glasgow, Scotland, and Birmingham, England
- Invented: An improved steam engine, which was a big part of the Industrial Revolution and made him a rich man. He also created the term “horsepower” to measure the power of an engine.
Learn more about James Watt
Did you know?
Before he worked on steam engines, Watt made musical instruments. The word “watt,” which measures the amount of power something uses, was named for James Watt. |
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Alessandro Volta- Invented: The first battery, called the “Voltaic pile.” The electrophorus, which produced static electricity.
Learn more about Alessandro Volta
Did you know?
The words “volt” (a measure of electric pressure) and “photovoltaics” (converting light into electricity) were named for Alessandro Volta. Toyota named their new battery-powered car the “Volta.”
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Michael Faraday- Lived in: London, England
- Discovered: Electromagnetic induction – if he moved a magnet through a loop of wire, the wire would become electrified. The “Faraday effect,” that proved that light and magnetic force are related. Electrolysis, which uses electricity to separate matter. Also discovered the chemical benzene.
- Invented: The dynamo, which converted motion into electricity. The “Faraday cage,” which blocks electric waves.
Learn more about Michael Faraday
Did you know?
Many scientists didn’t believe Faraday’s ideas because he didn’t have a college education – he was completely self-taught. |
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Thomas Edison- Lived in: Ohio and New Jersey
- Discovered: The “Edison effect,” or electric waves in space. This discovery allowed for the invention of radios, televisions, computers and other wireless products.
- Invented: An improved incandescent light bulb, sound recorder, movie camera, telegraph machines, electric vote recorder, stock ticker, microphone, batteries, X-ray machines – and more than 2,000 other devices.
Learn more about Thomas Edison
Did you know?
Thomas Edison was almost completely deaf. He lost most of his hearing as a young boy.
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Nikola Tesla- Lived in: Croatia, Hungary, France, New York, Colorado
- Discovered: Alternating current electricity, hydroelectric power, radio waves, radar, robotics
- Invented: The “Tesla coil” electric transformer, the first long-distance power system, electric motors, loudspeakers, X-ray machines, remote controls, man-made lightning bolts.
Learn more about Nikola Tesla
Did you know?
Nikola Tesla worked for Thomas Edison, but they later became enemies. One of Tesla’s best friends was the writer Mark Twain. |
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Want to learn more?
If you’d like to meet more energy inventors and their inventions, visit this Web site:
Energy History by the U.S. Energy Information Administration
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Links for teachers and parents:
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration
More resources for teachers and parents
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