Michael Faraday (1791 - 1867) was an English physicist and chemist whose research into electromagnetism and electrochemistry became foundational to the modern age of electricity. Largely self-educated, he rose from a bookbinder's apprentice to become one of the most influential experimental scientists in history, discovering electromagnetic induction and formulating the laws of electrolysis. [1]
Early life
Michael Faraday was born on 22 September 1791 in Newington Butts, then a suburb south of London. He came from a poor family and received only a rudimentary formal education. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a local bookbinder, and during his seven years in the trade he read widely across the volumes that passed through the shop, developing a particular fascination with science. [1]
Scientific career
Faraday's interest in science led him to attend lectures by the chemist Humphry Davy at the Royal Institution. In 1813 Davy engaged him as a chemical assistant, and Faraday soon accompanied him on an extended scientific tour of continental Europe. He spent the rest of his working life at the Royal Institution, eventually becoming its director of the laboratory and Fullerian Professor of Chemistry. [2]
As a chemist, Faraday made notable contributions including the discovery of benzene, the liquefaction of several gases, and early work on the isolation and identification of compounds. He also became a celebrated public communicator of science, founding the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for young audiences. [2]
Major discoveries
Faraday's most far-reaching achievement came in 1831 with his discovery of electromagnetic induction: the observation that a changing magnetic field can induce an electric current in a conductor. This principle underlies the electric generator, the transformer, and much of modern electrical power technology. His earlier construction of a device demonstrating continuous rotation from electromagnetism laid conceptual groundwork for the electric motor. [1]
In electrochemistry he established the quantitative laws of electrolysis, which relate the amount of chemical change at an electrode to the quantity of electricity passed. He also introduced much of the vocabulary still used in the field, including terms such as electrode, anode, cathode, and ion. His concept of lines of force and fields profoundly shaped later theoretical physics. [3]
Legacy
Faraday received numerous honours during his lifetime, among them the Copley Medal, the Royal Medal, and the Rumford Medal of the Royal Society, of which he was elected a Fellow. A man of deep religious conviction, he declined a knighthood and twice refused the presidency of the Royal Society. He died on 25 August 1867 at Hampton Court, where he had been given a grace-and-favour residence. The farad, the SI unit of electrical capacitance, is named in his honour, as is Faraday's constant in electrochemistry. [2]
