Hey friends!                                                                                                                                                   Have you ever wondered, how light came into existence? Come let’s find out.

Inventor’s Life

     Back in the days, before the light bulb was invented the use of candles was quite common in households. In fact, they are used even today when we experience a blackout. But candles can be very very messy. Though candles are beautiful to look at, they can be very dangerous. As it can burn anything which is very close to it.

     That is why we should Thank to Thomas Alva Edison for inventing the first-ever Light Bulb. That has since enlightened the world. I mean, it has helped light up our world, literally.

    Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, is known to have developed more than 1000 inventions. Apart from the light bulb, some of his famous inventions include the Voting Machine, Electric Battery and the Movie Camera.

   Thomas Edison wasn’t a bright student. He found it to be a painfully dull routine to go to school. However, he had a very curious mind and was always inquisitive to conduct science experiments under the tutelage of his mother. It was his inquisitive nature that led Edison to illuminate our homes.

The Principle of the Light Bulb

The Principle is quite simple actually. It is the electricity that flows into the filament. And when the filament heats up sufficiently it begins to glow and thus we have light. But to make his invention viable? Edison faced a major hurdle. He had to make the bulb glow bright enough, and long enough without overheating.

    Edison experimented with different kinds of filaments to find the perfect match for his light bulb. He tried copper, platinum and at last, he tried filaments made from metal. After trying out many options, something finally clicked and Edison returned to his original choice. The carbon filament was the winner amongst all.

    But, before he could officially declare his invention, Edison had to put his invention to test and see if it was long-lasting. On 22nd October 1870, Thomas Edison ran his first successful test on the light bulb. The filament burnt strong and bright, for a good 13 and half hours. And, that was marked as the great grand invention of the Light Bulb! And friends, that’s not all. I have something interesting to tell you…

Fun Facts

1.      1. 23 light Bulbs were developed before Edison’s. Sir Humphry Davy created the 1st Electric Arc Lamp in 1809. And Warren De La Rue designed the first Incandescent Light in 1820. After over half a century of experimentation, Sir Joseph Wilson Swan created the light bulb that was more of an Industrial nature which was used to illuminate the Savoy Theater, in the city of Westminster. The very first public building in the world to be entire lit by electricity.

2.      2.  Edison tried 4700 different materials, to find the perfect filament including hair from bread. Light  Bulb production has evolved over the years. Latest being the millennial LEDs.

 

So, the next time you switch on the light at home, you know who invented it.

Bye for now. Until next time, when I will bring another amazing invention for you.