Who invented the light bulb?
In the Early 1800’s, English chemist Humphrey Davy demonstrated that electricity could heat wire up until it emitted light. It just didn’t last very long…Around 1840 another English chemist Warren de La Rue solved the problem of getting the wires to last very long by using a metal with a high melting point (platinum) and putting them in a vacuum. The use of expensive platinum and the problems of getting a good vacuum did not make the commercialisation of the light bulb possible at that time.In 1878 yet another British chemist Joseph Swan demonstrated a light bulb based on a carbon filament, but his use of relatively thick filaments meant that the light bulbs burnt out quicklyThen along came Thomas Edison in 1879. Using thin carbon filaments he made the first commercially successful light bulbs.I suspect this question was one that was designed to be deliberately misleading and controversial, because the development of the light bulb was a slow progression that took over seventy years to come to fruition. It’s unlikely that Edison was unaware of the all the other experiments that had been done, but he was the one who believed that the previous problems could be solved, helped the discoveries that led to something that could be commercialised, believed in the usefulness of electric light, and drove the commercialisation of the product and took risks in setting up DC generating stations to light streets and public spaces.Edison’s commercialisation of the light bulb was as close to success as he was going to come, however the actual invention is on the shoulders of many people.
Who invented the light n bulb?
Who Invented the Light Bulb? Though Thomas Edison is usually credited with the invention of the light bulb, the famous American inventor wasn't the only one who contributed to the development of this revolutionary technology. Many other notable figures are also remembered for their work with electric batteries, lamps and the creation of the first incandescent bulbs. Early research & developments The story of the light bulb begins long before Edison patented the first commercially successful bulb in 1879. In 1800, Italian inventor Alessandro Volta developed the first practical method of generating electricity, the voltaic pile. Made of alternating discs of zinc and copper — interspersed with layers of cardboards soaked in salt water — the pile conducted electricity when a copper wire was connected at either end. While actually a predecessor of the modern battery, Volta's glowing copper wire is also considered to be one of the earliest manifestations of incandescent lighting. Not long after Volta presented his discovery of a continuous source of electricity to the Royal Society in London, Humphry Davy, an English chemist and inventor, produced the world's first electric lamp by connecting voltaic piles to charcoal electrodes. Davy's 1802 invention was known as an electric arc lamp, named for the bright arc of light emitted between its two carbon rods.
Who invented the light bulb?
Many people think it's Thomas Edison; however, the story of the light bulb really starts almost seventy years earlier. It was first invented by an English man named Humphrey Davy. " In 1806 Humphrey Davy, an Englishman, introduced a powerful electric lamp to the Royal Society. Davy's lamp produced its illumination by creating a blinding electric spark between two charcoal rods. This device, known as an "arc lamp," was impractical for most uses. The light, similar to that of a welding torch, was simply too bright to be used in residences and most businesses. The device also needed a tremendous source of power and the batteries which powered Davy's demonstration model were quickly drained." Also, " in 1860, the English physicist Sir Joseph Wilson Swan was determined to devise a practical, long-lasting electric light. He found that a carbon paper filament worked well, but burned up quickly. In 1878, he demonstrated his new electric lamps in Newcastle, England. In 1877, the American Charles Francis Brush manufactured some carbon arcs to light a public square in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. These arcs were used on a few streets, in a few large office buildings, and even some stores. Electric lights were only used by a few people. The inventor Thomas Alva Edison (in the USA) experimented with thousands of different filaments to find just the right materials to glow well and be long-lasting. In 1879, Edison discovered that a carbon filament in an oxygen-free bulb glowed but did not burn up for 40 hours. Edison eventually produced a bulb that could glow for over 1500 hours." So, if you're asking who invented it first, the answer would be Humphrey Davy, but in reality several men (including the ones listed above) helped to improve upon the original design, leading up to the light bulbs we have today.
Who invented the light bulb?
The answer to who invented the Light Bulb isn't as easy to answer as you may think. Many of the early experiments were never patented, some light bulb patents were later revoked. Many of the early bulbs were too inefficient to be practical, some were very efficient but costly to make. If you're going by the first person who made one then it will most likely be Humphry Davy. If you are going by the first patent then it would be Frederick de Moleyns. Both were before Thomas Edison was even born, Here's a brief history of the light bulb... 1802 - Humphry Davy - Great Britain - early(first) experimenting with electric light bulbs(44 years before Edison Was born) 1835 - James Bowman Lindsay - Dundee, Scotland - demonstrated a working light bulb at a public meeting 1840 - Warren de la Rue - Great Britain - Although an efficient design, the cost of the platinum filament made it impractical for commercial use 1841 - Frederick de Moleyns - England - granted the first patent for an incandescent lamp 1845 - John W. Starr - United States - acquired a patent for his incandescent light bulb involving the use of carbon filaments. 1847 - February 11 - Thomas Edison was born 1872 - A. N. Lodygin - Russia - invented an incandescent light bulb and obtained a Russian privilege. In 1874 he obtained an American patent for his invention. 1874 - Henry Woodward & Mathew Evans - Canada - Filed a Canadian patent but after an unsuccessful attempt to commercialize their lamp they sold the patent to Thomas Edison. 1878 - Joseph Wilson Swan - England - received a British patent for his device in1878 about a year before Thomas Edison. His house was the first in the world to have working light bulbs installed 1878 - Thomas Edison - United States - Patents later invalidated by patent office because they were based on earlier works(see all of the above). His patent for an improved filament design was left valid though. There were many other inventors and experimenters working on the light bulb throughout this timeline but these are the highlights.
What invention were made because of the light bulb?
well projectors were made AFTER the light bulb, and they use light bulbs. Even the high tech computer projectors that are popular use light bulbs. Also, I believe Cameras have been using Light Bulbs for as long as they have been out.
Who invented the light and light bulb?
Well the invention of light bulb has some detailed history , it starts from the Italian inventor Alessandro Volta who developed the first practical method of generating electricity, the voltaic pile followed by several scientists who tried to perfect the invention generating artificial light. But it wasn’t till 1850 where English chemist Joseph Swan first laid his hands on creating the first light bulb but unfortunately for him the vacuum pumps of the day were not efficient in his time. Thomas Edison saw this flaw and fixed it with a filament. Eventually the two joined forces and formed Edison-Swan United, which became one of the world’s largest manufacturers of light bulbs, according to the Museum of Unnatural Mystery.Conclusion : Prototypes were built from the early 1800’s and were perfected by Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan.Thomas Edison was the one eventually credited for the invention thoughHope this answers your question
How did people react to the invention of light bulbs?
I was just reading something that related to this last week in Olivier Sacks memoir called Uncle Tungsten. His uncle was a chemist who manufactured light-bulbs so they featured a great deal in his boyhood. In the pages starting on chapter five he discusses it a great deal. He says that in his boyhood in the 1930s many streets in London still had gas lamplight. His Edwardian house had been converted to electricity in the 1920s. But they still kept a few gas jets so if the power went off they could light by them. Both his parents were physicians and the house was very large. I imagine that less well off people didn't have electric light in many places yet. Electric light bulbs were very exciting to people in the 1880s but there were already gas systems in most cities and power plants and wires needed to be builtIn 1816 the first gas lighting was in England. By 1823 it was in many cities. By 1859 it was all over England. It was 75% cheaper than lamp oil or candles. So with electric light it was not that people had no lighting before. The early bulbs were not cheap and they were dim and fragile.His uncles, the light bulb makers, described the fight back and forth between gas and electric lighting in the 1880s and 90s. The issue was that the gas lighting industry had been revolutionized by Auer in 1891 when he discovered that a mantle impregnated with a 99-1 ratio of thoria to ceria made a much more brilliant light. This made serious competition for the new electric light. The new carbon filament bulbs were a dim yellowish light not brilliant white. In 1882 the first central electric system in London was set up on Farringdon Bridge road and the Holburn Viaduct. For the next 10 years electric lighting systems were built. But then in 1891 the new gas mantel systems made better light and cities still had gas systems. Then in 1897 the first osmium bulbs were made. They were brighter but too fragile. And osmium was too rare. Then in 1905 tantalum bulb filaments became possible. They were cheaper and could be mass produced. They challenged both carbon filament and gas mantels. Tungsten with bulbs filled with argon which was cheaper, tougher and more efficient was figured out in 1913. Commercial quantities of argon were figured out after WWI. This enabled light bulbs to take over from gas lighting in most cities after WWI.
What if Thomas Edison gave up inventing the light bulb?
Edison didn't invent the light bulb, his team perfected the longest lasting filament for it.The first electric light was made in 1800 by Humphry Davy, an English scientist. He experimented with electricity and invented an electric battery. When he connected wires to his battery and a piece of carbon, the carbon glowed, producing light. This is called an electric arc.Much later, in 1860, the English physicist Sir Joseph Wilson Swan (1828-1914) was determined to devise a practical, long-lasting electric light. He found that a carbon paper filament worked well, but burned up quickly. In 1878, he demonstrated his new electric lamps in Newcastle, England.In 1877, the American Charles Francis Brush manufactured some carbon arcs to light a public square in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. These arcs were used on a few streets, in a few large office buildings, and even some stores. Electric lights were only used by a few people.The inventor Thomas Alva Edison (in the USA) experimented with thousands of different filaments to find just the right materials to glow well and be long-lasting. In 1879, Edison discovered that a carbon filament in an oxygen-free bulb glowed but did not burn up for 40 hours. Edison eventually produced a bulb that could glow for over 1500 hours.Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1928) improved the bulb by inventing a carbon filament (patented in 1881); Latimer was a member of Edison's research team, which was called "Edison's Pioneers." In 1882, Latimer developed and patented a method of manufacturing his carbon filaments.In 1903, Willis R. Whitney invented a treatment for the filament so that it wouldn't darken the inside of the bulb as it glowed. In 1910, William David Coolidge (1873-1975) invented a tungsten filament which lasted even longer than the older filaments. The incandescent bulb revolutionized the world.Invention of the Light Bulb: Davy, Swan and Edison
Why was the light bulb invented?
Hello Morgan, You ask a very good question. Many Inventions were invented by accident, or while trying to invent something else. The light bulb was not one of these. Many scientists of the day were trying to invent a way to use electricity to light your house. The reason is that the old style of lighting, candles, lamps, lanterns, were all very dangerous. Many fires back then were stated by these. And they put out smoke into the room and burned up the oxygen, making it harder to breath. People were starting at that time to run natural gas through cities then, as a new safer way to light homes, and the gas companies were raking in the profit. As soon as scientists started working with electricity, they thought about using it for lighting. It is logical, because they saw electricity create sparks. Edison decided that he was going to make a light bulb. He already had a whole factory full of inventors and a bunch of money from other inventions, so he put all his men to work trying to systematically check every type of filament that they could make. A great story. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_bulb http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison Good Luck
Why was the light bulb invented?
The light bulb was invented as an alternative to other forms of artificial lighting. And, to some degree, because it was an interesting science experiment. I mean, who wouldn’t want to say, “hey Marge, look at this! If I hook this wire up to this pile, it glows!” Then Marge says, “that sure would be a lot cleaner and safer than the oil lamps. And so much brighter!”(For what it’s worth, Alladin lamps preceded electric lighting by a couple of decades. They used a system of pressurized liquid fuel forced through a very fine orifice to atomize the fuel, which burned on a mantle. They were as bright — if not brighter — as the electric lamps that immediately succeeded them. But electric lamps were cheaper, cleaner, and more convenient, so the Alladin lamp largely failed as a product. The principles of the Alladin lamp were carried forward to the Coleman lantern, which originally used liquid fuel. You can still purchase Coleman-style lanterns, but they mostly use propane or butane.)Ultimately, once invented, Edison and others foresaw the utility of the electric lamp and developed and promoted it as a profit center. Edison gets a lot of the credit because his lamps were the most popular. The reason they were the most popular wasn’t because Edison just sold lamps; he also sold electricity. The lamps were a way to get people to buy his electricity, which was his real profit center. As further incentive to get people to buy his lamps when lamps failed, he also sold an adapter that would fit in the competitor’s sockets. The trick was that once installed, the adapter couldn’t be removed. This ensured that the “Edison” base light bulb would become ubiquitous.So, really, light bulbs were invented to sell electricity.This concept was resurrected in the 1990s, when HP dropped the price of their printers to sell at a loss. (In the early 1990s, I bought a dot matrix printer for $300. At the time, inkjet printers, which produced superior printing quality, were $600. The next month, the price of inkjet printers had dropped to $300 and dot matrix printers were instantly considered obsolete. Arghh.) To this day, HP’s printer division loses money, but that loss is more than repaid by ink sales. Printers exist to sell ink.