Alessandro Volta

By Carli Christensen

Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Gerolamo Umberto Volta, was born Feb. 18, 1745, in Como Italy. He was raised

and educated in the public schools in Como.

In 1774 he became professor of physics at the Royal School in Como. A year after becoming a professor, Alessandro

invented the electrophorus, a device that produced charges of static electricity.

While in Como, Alessandro also studied chemistry. He experimented by exploding various gases, such as hydrogen. He discovered that when hydrogen and air in closed containers were exploded there was a reduction in volume greater than the volume of hydrogen burned. In order to measure the changes in volume, Alessandro made a glass container called a eudiometer, to explode the gases inside. Using this eudiometer he studied methane, and distinguished it from hydrogen by its different-colored flame, its slower rate of combustion, and the greater volume of air and larger electric spark required for detonation.

In 1779 Alessandro was appointed chair of physics at the University of Pavia. In 1782 he became a member of the French Academy of Sciences. In 1791 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of London, and in 1794, he was awarded the coveted Copley Medal.

In 1786, Luigi Galvani – A fellow Italian physicist- discovered that the muscles in a frog's amputated leg would twitch whenever an electrical machine was discharged near the leg. While experimenting, Luigi found that the frog's leg would twitch if he put a copper hook on the nerve ending and then pressed the hook against an iron plate on which the leg was placed. Luigi concluded the twitch was produced in the organism itself and he called this new type of electricity as "animal electricity.“

Alessandro heard of Luigi’s experiments, and decided to test it for himself. Alessandro discovered that it wasn’t the animal that generated the electricity, it was the 2 metals that generated it. He started to experiment with the results of bringing 2 dissimilar metals in contact with each other. In 1794, Alessandro came to the conclusion that the different metals generate the electricity. He called this new type of electricity "metallic" or "contact" electricity.

Alessandro found that not only would two different metals in contact produce a small electrical response, but metals in

contact with various types of fluids would also produce such effects. The best results happened when two dissimilar

metals were held in contact and joined by a moist third body which completed the circuit between them. This observation

led straight to the making of the electric battery.

Around 1800, Alessandro invented the first battery called a Voltaic Pile. The Voltaic Pile consisted of discs of copper and zinc separated by discs of paper or cardboard soaked in salt water. Attached to the top and bottom of the pile was a copper wire. When Volta closed the circuit, electricity flowed through the pile.

Alessandro announced his discovery to the public on March 20, 1800. The significance of Alessandro’s invention was immediately recognized. In 1801, he was asked by Napoleon to come to Paris. in honor of his work, Alessandro was made a count. In Paris, Alessandro gave lectures to the national institute of France about his discoveries. He was given many awards for his discoveries, and he became a very distinguished scientist.

Although Alessandro could’ve continued researching and improving his battery, he spent the rest of his career teaching at the University of Pavia. He eventually became the director of philosophy at the university. In 1819 he retired to his hometown in Como. He died on March 5, 1827. The electricity term “Volt” is named in honor of him. A museum called “Tempio Voltiano” in Como Italy, is dedicated To Alessandro.

Sources:

http://www.ece.rochester.edu/~jones/demos/electrophorus.html

http://www.alchemical.org/em/Handout11-Volta.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alessandro_Volta

http://energyquest.ca.gov/scientists/volta.html