Nikola Tesla and

Thomas Edison Monica Rusa

Catalog Entry

Tesla`s Early LifeNikola Tesla was born on July 10th 1856 in modern day Croatia.

He was born to Serbian parents.

He was a child prodigy with a brilliant memory.

By time he was 10 he could speak 6 languages.

Tesla descended from a family of inventors; his mother, Djuka Mandic, invented household appliances in her spare while Tesla was growing up.

Djuka Mandic (Tesla`s mother)

Tesla`s CareerHe immigrated to USA in 1884 where he began to work for Thomas Edison.

He was hired to do basic electrical engineering and moved his way up to redesigning the direct current (DC) generator

A year after he resigned to work on his own projects.

He resigned because Edison promised Tesla $50,000 if he completed the DC and then claimed to be “joking”.

Tesla patented many of his inventions, over 700 of them!

Tesla`s Career cont.On the AC electrical system alone, Tesla held 40 basic patents.

Tesla sold these patents to George Westinghouse who was determined to supply the nation with Tesla`s AC system.

Around this time, conflict arose between Edison and Tesla called the War of Currents.

In the end, Tesla`s AC system defeated Edison`s DC system because the AC system was a superior technology.

Tesla`s Career cont.Tesla`s AC system can be used to transfer voltages over long distances through thin wires.

AC system

Tesla`s Career cont.

Of course, a system of transmission would be incomplete without devices to run on them.

Tesla then invented the motors that are used in household appliances.

One of the first AC motors

Tesla`s Career cont.Tesla also invented the X-ray, radio, the “Tesla coil” and designed the first hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls.

The hydroelectric power plant was a feat that was highly publicized throughout the world.

Hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls

X-ray of Tesla`s hand in 1882

Tesla`s Career cont.

Tesla`s “Tesla Coil” can be utilized for entertainment or education. They can produce large lightening-like arcs of electrical power. It sends power wirelessly through the air.

Tesla`s DeathNikola Tesla died on January 7th, 1943 in his hotel room in the Hotel New Yorker in New York City, New York.

He died of heart failure and was found by a maid the following day.

Edison`s Early LifeThomas Edison was born in Milan, Ohio.

He was born on February 11th, 1847.

He did not learn to speak until he was around the age of four.

He was pulled out of school and educated by his mother because his teacher thought he was

mentally slow.

Edison`s Life cont.

In 1854, his family moved to Port Huron, Michigan.

Here he sold newspapers and candy on a train.

He became a telegraph operator after saving someone from an oncoming train.

He then moved to Louisville, Kentucky and became an employee of Western Union.

Starting in 1872 he started to work on the quadruplex telegraph system which allowed telegraphs to send and receive four signals at the same time.

This wasn’t a new invention, but improved the system created by Moses Farmer and Joseph Stearns.

Edison and his inventions

Edison`s first invention was the Phonograph in 1877, this invention allowed the recording of voices.

Edison did not invent the first light bulb, however, he invented the first commercially practical incandescent light.

Edison bought the patent for the working light bulb from Joseph Wilson Swan.

In 1880, Edison patented a

system for electrical distribution.

In order to capitalize on his electric lamps, he used direct current (DC) to power his lamps, this however, had it`s limitations.

Edison`s first phonograph

Edison and his inventions cont.

Edison used propaganda in order to convince people the superiority of the DC, this then launched the “War of Currents”.

The “War of Currents” involved Nikola Tesla who had created the alternating current (AC).

In 1888, Edison began working on a motion picture camera, he passed this idea onto one of his partners and did very little work in bringing this invention to life.

On May 20th, 1891, Edison released his idea and his first “movies” were two cats “boxing” and a man doing tricks on his bike.

Also, Edison came up with the unsuccessful idea of concrete furniture.

Edison never really invented any major breakthroughs, most of his ideas were just advancements on other people`s patents.

Thomas Edison`s death

Thomas Edison died on October 18th, 1931.

The cause of his death was problems with

diabetes.

Catalog Entry

Typically, Nikola Tesla created his own ideas, patented them, and made his own ideas come to life.. Edison often bought

other people`s patents and made advances on them with a team assisting him.

Who was the better inventor? Thomas Edison or Nikola Tesla?

Sources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlxVDdBtFQQ

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/scientists/nikolatesla.html

http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/nikola-tesla

http://www.ducksters.com/biography/thomas_edison.php