Michael Faraday discovered. Brief biography of Michael Faraday

FARADAY (Faraday) Michael (1791-1867), English physicist, founder of the doctrine of the electromagnetic field, foreign honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1830). Discovered the chemical effect of electric current, the relationship between electricity and magnetism, magnetism and light. Discovered (1831) electromagnetic induction - a phenomenon that formed the basis of electrical engineering. Established (1833-34) the laws of electrolysis, named after him, discovered para- and diamagnetism, rotation of the plane of polarization of light in a magnetic field (Faraday effect). Proved the identity of different types of electricity. He introduced the concepts of electric and magnetic fields and expressed the idea of ​​the existence of electromagnetic waves.

Faraday ( Faraday) Michael (September 22, 1791, London - August 25, 1867, ibid), English physicist, founder of the modern field concept in electrodynamics, author of a number of fundamental discoveries, including the law of electromagnetic induction, laws of electrolysis, the phenomenon of rotation of the plane of polarization of light in a magnetic field , one of the first researchers of the effects of magnetic fields on media.

Childhood and youth

Faraday was born into the family of a blacksmith. His older brother Robert was also a blacksmith, who in every possible way encouraged Michael’s thirst for knowledge and at first supported him financially. Faraday's mother, a hardworking, wise, although uneducated woman, lived to see the time when her son achieved success and recognition, and was rightfully proud of him.

The family's modest income did not allow Michael to even graduate from high school, and at the age of thirteen he became an apprentice to the owner of a bookstore and bookbinding workshop, where he was to remain for 10 years. All this time, Faraday persistently engaged in self-education - he read all the literature available to him on physics and chemistry, repeated the experiments described in books in his home laboratory, and attended private lectures on physics and astronomy in the evenings and Sundays. He received money (a shilling to pay for each lecture) from his brother. At the lectures, Faraday made new acquaintances, to whom he wrote many letters in order to develop a clear and concise style of presentation; he also tried to master the techniques of oratory.

Getting started at the Royal Institution

One of the clients of the bookbindery, a member of the Royal Society of London Denault, noticing Faraday's interest in science, helped him get to the lectures of the outstanding physicist and chemist G. Davy at the Royal Institution. Faraday carefully wrote down and bound the four lectures and sent them along with the letter to the lecturer. This “bold and naive step,” according to Faraday himself, had a decisive influence on his fate. In 1813, Davy (not without some hesitation) invited Faraday to fill the vacant position of assistant at the Royal Institution, and in the fall of the same year he took him on a two-year trip to the scientific centers of Europe. This trip was of great importance for Faraday: he and Davy visited a number of laboratories, met such scientists as A. Ampere, M. Chevreul, J. L. Gay-Lussac, who in turn drew attention to the brilliant abilities of the young Englishman.

First independent research. Scientific publications

After returning to the Royal Institution in 1815, Faraday began intensive work, in which independent scientific research occupied an increasing place. In 1816 he began giving public lectures on physics and chemistry at the Society for Self-Education. In the same year his first printed work appeared.

In 1821, several important events occurred in Faraday's life. He received a position as overseer of the building and laboratories of the Royal Institution (i.e., technical overseer) and published two significant scientific papers (on the rotation of a current around a magnet and a magnet around a current, and on the liquefaction of chlorine). That same year he got married and, as his entire subsequent life showed, he was very happy in his marriage.

In the period until 1821, Faraday published about 40 scientific papers, mainly on chemistry. Gradually, his experimental research increasingly shifted to the field of electromagnetism. After H. Oersted's discovery of the magnetic action of electric current in 1820, Faraday became fascinated by the problem of the connection between electricity and magnetism. In 1822, an entry appeared in his laboratory diary: “Convert magnetism into electricity.” However, Faraday continued other research, including in the field of chemistry. Thus, in 1824 he was the first to obtain chlorine in a liquid state.

Election to the Royal Society. Professorship

In 1824, Faraday was elected a member of the Royal Society, despite the active opposition of Davy, with whom Faraday's relationship had become quite complicated by that time, although Davy liked to repeat that of all his discoveries, the most significant was “Faraday's discovery.” The latter also paid tribute to Davy, calling him a "great man."

A year after his election to the Royal Society, Faraday was appointed director of the laboratory of the Royal Institution, and in 1827 he received a professorship at this institute.

Law of electromagnetic induction. Electrolysis

In 1830, despite his cramped financial situation, Faraday resolutely abandoned all side activities, performing any scientific and technical research and other work (except for lecturing on chemistry) in order to devote himself entirely to scientific research. He soon achieved brilliant success: on August 29, 1831 he discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction - the phenomenon of the generation of an electric field by an alternating magnetic field. Ten days of intense work allowed Faraday to comprehensively and completely investigate this phenomenon, which, without exaggeration, can be called the foundation, in particular, of all modern electrical engineering. But Faraday himself was not interested in the applied possibilities of his discoveries; he strove for the main thing - the study of the laws of Nature. The discovery of electromagnetic induction brought Faraday fame. But he was still very strapped for money, so his friends were forced to work to provide him with a lifelong government pension. These efforts were crowned with success only in 1835. When Faraday got the impression that the Minister of the Treasury treated this pension as a sop to the scientist, he sent a letter to the minister in which he respectfully refused any pension. The minister had to apologize to Faraday.

In 1833-34, Faraday studied the passage of electric currents through solutions of acids, salts and alkalis, which led him to the discovery of the laws of electrolysis. These laws (Faraday's laws) subsequently played an important role in the development of ideas about discrete electric charge carriers. Until the end of the 1830s. Faraday carried out extensive studies of electrical phenomena in dielectrics.

Faraday's disease. Latest experimental work

Constant enormous mental stress undermined Faraday's health and forced him to interrupt his scientific work for five years in 1840. Returning to it again, Faraday in 1848 discovered the phenomenon of rotation of the plane of polarization of light propagating in transparent substances along the lines of magnetic field strength (Faraday effect). Apparently, Faraday himself (who excitedly wrote that he “magnetized light and illuminated the magnetic line of force”) attached great importance to this discovery. Indeed, it was the first indication of the existence of a connection between optics and electromagnetism. Conviction in the deep interconnection of electrical, magnetic, optical and other physical and chemical phenomena became the basis of Faraday's entire scientific worldview.

Other experimental works of Faraday at this time were devoted to studies of the magnetic properties of various media. In particular, in 1845 he discovered the phenomena of diamagnetism and paramagnetism.

In 1855, illness again forced Faraday to interrupt his work. He became significantly weaker and began to lose his memory catastrophically. He had to write down everything in the laboratory notebook, down to where and what he put before leaving the laboratory, what he had already done and what he was going to do next. To continue working, he had to give up a lot, including visiting friends; the last thing he gave up was lectures for children.

The importance of scientific works

Even a far from complete list of what Faraday contributed to science gives an idea of ​​the exceptional significance of his works. This list, however, misses the main thing that constitutes Faraday’s enormous scientific merit: he was the first to create a field concept in the doctrine of electricity and magnetism. If before him the idea of ​​direct and instantaneous interaction of charges and currents through empty space prevailed, Faraday consistently developed the idea that the active material carrier of this interaction is the electromagnetic field. D. K. Maxwell, who became his follower, wrote about this beautifully, further developing his teaching and putting ideas about the electromagnetic field into a clear mathematical form: “Faraday, with his mind’s eye, saw the lines of force that lower all space. Where mathematicians saw centers of tension of forces long-range action, Faraday saw an intermediate agent. Where they saw nothing but distance, content with finding the law of distribution of forces acting on electrical fluids, Faraday sought the essence of real phenomena occurring in the medium."

The point of view on electrodynamics from the perspective of the field concept, the founder of which was Faraday, has become an integral part of modern science. Faraday's works marked the advent of a new era in physics.

When mentioning the electromagnetic field, one cannot help but recall the famous English physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867). I would also like to say that Michael Faraday has been a foreign honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences since 1830. This physicist was able to establish through experiments the chemical effect of electric current, and also describe the relationship between electric current and magnetism, magnetism and light flows. Between 1833 and 1834, Faraday created the laws of electrolysis that bear his name. His discoveries include paramagnetism and diamagnetism, as well as the ability to rotate polarized light surrounded by a magnetic field. Faraday's merits include the introduction into our lives of such concepts as electricity and magnetic field, as well as the consequence of their interaction - electromagnetic waves. One of his teachers was the famous chemist, physicist and father of electrochemistry - Humphry Davy.

Michael Faraday (1771 - 1867)

Let's learn a little about the biography of the famous Faraday. Michael was born on April 22, 1771, into the family of an ordinary blacksmith, and his elder brother followed in his father’s footsteps. Faraday’s mother was a simple and uneducated woman, and when Michael received worldwide recognition, she was proud of her son.

Faraday's family's small income did not allow him to even finish high school. At the age of 13, he was lucky enough to get a job in a bookstore and bookbinding workshop, where he worked for 10 years. During all this time, he studied himself - read available literature and scientific works of other scientists on physics, chemistry and began to conduct independent experiments at home (according to the descriptions in books). He also attended lectures on physics and astronomy in the evenings. His blacksmith brother helped him with money for lectures (one lecture cost 1 shilling). At these lectures he made new friends.

Royal Institution.

Attending lectures on physics and chemistry for Faraday became decisive in his future life. He not only attended them as a listener, but also logically intertwined these lectures and, having written his conclusions, sent them to the lecturer - the famous physicist and chemist Humphry Davy, who at that time worked at the Royal Institution. The scientist was so impressed by the young man’s talent that in 1813 he invited him to the position of assistant at the Royal Institute, and then took him on a trip to the scientific centers of Europe. On this trip, Faraday got acquainted with the work of some scientific laboratories, and also met with the leading scientists of the time - A. Ampere, M. Chevrel, J. L. Gay-Lussac and others, who also noted the amazing abilities of the young scientist.

Faraday's scientific research.

Inspired by his trip to Europe, Faraday returned to the Royal Institution in 1815 and began his own research. And already in 1816, he independently began to teach public courses in physics and chemistry at the Society for Self-Education. During this period his first printed works appeared.

In 1821, Faraday became overseer of the premises and laboratories of the Royal Institution. At this time, he managed to write 2 scientific works: “Rotation of current around a magnet” and “Reduced chlorine”. This year he also got married and was happy about it.

He managed to publish 40 scientific papers on chemistry before 1821, but then electromagnetism attracted his attention. In 1820, Hans Oersted discovered the magnetic effect of electric current, which provided the prerequisites for Faraday to study the relationship between electric current and magnetism. In 1822, Faraday even wrote in his laboratory diary: “Convert magnetism into electric current.” But Faraday not only worked in the field of physics during this period, he did not forget about chemistry. In 1824, Faraday managed to obtain liquid chlorine.

Already in 1824, Faraday was elected a member of the Royal Scientific Society, despite some opposition from Davy. Although at one time Davy claimed that he considered Faraday his most significant discovery, and the latter considered Davy a great scientist.

A year after his election to the Royal Society, Faraday headed the laboratory of the Royal Institution, and in 1827 he became a professor.

Faraday electromagnetic induction.

In 1831, Faraday discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction, which he described as a phenomenon arising from the interaction of an electric field and a magnetic field. This discovery laid the fundamental foundation of modern electrical engineering. But Faraday was not interested in the applied possibilities of his scientific achievements; he was more interested in the laws of Nature.

Faraday's lectures.

Thanks to electromagnetic induction, Faraday became famous. But he constantly felt a shortage of funds and therefore asked the government to grant him a lifelong pension. In 1835 he was assigned this benefit. But when he found out that the Minister of Economy did this as a sop to the poor scientist, he wrote him a letter refusing any subsidies. The Minister of Economy had to apologize to the scientist.

Between 1833 and 1834, Michael Faraday studied the passage of electric current through various chemical solutions: acids, salts and alkalis, which became the basis of electrolysis. Faraday's discoveries became the basis for the creation of discrete electric charge carriers.

Enormous mental stress undermined Faraday's health, and he was forced to stop scientific work in 1840. Faraday returned to science only in 1848 and began to study the rotation of the plane of polarization of light, which propagates in transparent substances along the action of a magnetic field, which was called the Faraday effect. This discovery connected optics and electromagnetism. Faraday's worldview was based on the interconnection of electricity, magnetism, optics and other physical and chemical phenomena.

In 1855, Faraday became even more ill and began to lose his memory. He had to write down everything that happened in a laboratory notebook in order to remember it later. His illness alienated him from friends and acquaintances. He even had to give up his favorite lectures to children.

Merits of Faraday.

It is even difficult to measure Faraday's contribution to science; his scientific work and discoveries are priceless. He was the first to put forward a field theory in the study of electricity and magnetism. The electromagnetic field became famous thanks to the scientific work of Faraday.

Faraday's law. Electromagnetic induction.

James Clerk Maxwell called Faraday the man who was able to discern the invisible in the electromagnetic field that permeates space. A V.N. Grigoriev called Faraday's works the door to a new era of physics.

“As long as people enjoy the benefits of electricity, they will always remember the name of Faraday with gratitude,” said Hermann Helmholtz.

Michael Faraday - English experimental physicist, chemist, creator of the doctrine of the electromagnetic field. He discovered electromagnetic induction, which is the basis for the industrial production of electricity and its use in modern conditions.

Childhood and youth

Michael Faraday was born on September 22, 1791 in Newington Buttes, near London. Father - James Faraday (1761-1810), blacksmith. Mother - Margaret (1764-1838). In addition to Michael, the family included brother Robert and sisters Elizabeth and Margaret. They lived poorly, so Michael did not finish school and at the age of 13 went to work in a bookstore as a delivery boy.

I failed to complete my education. The thirst for knowledge was satisfied by reading books on physics and chemistry - there were plenty of them in the bookstore. The young man mastered his first experiments. He built a current source - a “Leyden jar”. Michael's father and brother encouraged him to experiment.

In 1810, a 19-year-old boy became a member of the philosophical club, where lectures were given on physics and astronomy. Michael participated in scientific controversy. The gifted young man attracted the attention of the scientific community. Bookstore buyer William Dens gave Michael a gift - a ticket to attend a series of lectures on chemistry and physics by Humphry Davy (founder of electrochemistry, discoverer of the chemical elements Potassium, Calcium, Sodium, Barium, Boron).

The future scientist, having transcribed Humphry Davy's lectures, bound it and sent it to the professor, accompanied by a letter asking him to find some work at the Royal Institution. Davy took part in the fate of the young man, and after some time, 22-year-old Faraday got a job as a laboratory assistant in a chemical laboratory.

The science

While performing his duties as a laboratory assistant, Faraday did not miss the opportunity to listen to lectures in the preparation of which he participated. Also, with the blessing of Professor Davy, the young man carried out his chemical experiments. His conscientiousness and skill in performing his work as a laboratory assistant made him Davy's constant assistant.

In 1813, Davy took Faraday as his secretary on a two-year European trip. During the trip, the young scientist met the luminaries of world science: Andre-Marie Ampère, Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac, Alessandro Volta.

On his return to London in 1815, Faraday was given the position of assistant. At the same time, he continued what he loved - he conducted his own experiments. During his life, Faraday conducted 30,000 experiments. In scientific circles, for his pedantry and hard work, he received the title of “king of experimenters.” The description of each experience was carefully recorded in diaries. Later, in 1931, these diaries were published.

Faraday's first printed edition was published in 1816. By 1819, 40 works were published. The works are devoted to chemistry. In 1820, from a series of experiments with alloys, a young scientist discovered that alloying steel with the addition of nickel did not oxidize. But the results of the experiments went unnoticed by the metallurgists. The discovery of stainless steel was patented much later.

In 1820 Faraday became technical superintendent of the Royal Institution. By 1821, he moved from chemistry to physics. Faraday acted as an established scientist and gained weight in the scientific community. An article was published about the principle of operation of an electric motor, which marked the beginning of industrial electrical engineering.

Electromagnetic field

In 1820, Faraday became interested in experiments on the interaction of electricity and magnetic fields. By this time, the concepts of “direct current source” (A. Volt), “electrolysis”, “electric arc”, “electromagnet” had been discovered. During this period, electrostatics and electrodynamics developed, and the experiments of Biot, Savart, and Laplace on working with electricity and magnetism were published. A. Ampere's work on electromagnetism was published.

In 1821, Faraday’s work “On Some New Electromagnetic Motions and the Theory of Magnetism” was published. In it, the scientist presented experiments with a magnetic needle rotating around one pole, i.e., he carried out the transformation of electrical energy into mechanical energy. In fact, he introduced the world's first, albeit primitive, electric motor.

The joy of discovery was spoiled by the complaint of William Wollaston (discovered Palladium, Rhodium, designed a refractometer and goniometer). In a complaint to Professor Davy, the scientist accused Faraday of stealing the idea of ​​a rotating magnetic needle. The story took on a scandalous character. Davy accepted Wollaston's position. Only a personal meeting between the two scientists and Faraday explaining his position was able to resolve the conflict. Wollaston abandoned the claim. The relationship between Davy and Faraday lost its former trust. Although the former did not tire of repeating until his last days that Faraday was the main discovery he made.

In January 1824, Faraday was elected a member of the Royal Society of London. Professor Davy voted against.

In 1823 he became a corresponding member of the Paris Academy of Sciences.

In 1825, Michael Faraday took Davy's place as director of the Royal Institution's Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry.

After the discovery of 1821, the scientist did not publish works for ten years. In 1831 he became professor of Woolwich (military academy), and in 1833 - professor of chemistry at the Royal Institution. He conducted scientific debates and gave lectures at scientific meetings.

Back in 1820, Faraday became interested in the experiment of Hans Oersted: movement along an electric current circuit caused the movement of a magnetic needle. Electric current caused the emergence of magnetism. Faraday suggested that, accordingly, magnetism could be the cause of electric current. The first mention of the theory appeared in the scientist’s diary in 1822. It took ten years of experiments to unravel the mystery of electromagnetic induction.

Victory came on August 29, 1831. The device that allowed Faraday to make his ingenious discovery consisted of an iron ring and many turns of copper wire wound around its two halves. In the circuit of one half of the ring, closed by a wire, there was a magnetic needle. The second winding was connected to the battery. When the current was turned on, the magnetic needle oscillated in one direction, and when turned off, in the other. Faraday concluded that a magnet was capable of converting magnetism into electrical energy.

The phenomenon of “the appearance of an electric current in a closed circuit when the magnetic flux passing through it changes” was called electromagnetic induction. The discovery of electromagnetic induction paved the way for the creation of a current source - an electric generator.

The discovery marked the beginning of a new fruitful round of the scientist’s experiments, which gave the world “Experimental Research on Electricity.” Faraday empirically proved the uniform nature of the generation of electrical energy, independent of the method by which the electric current is generated.

In 1832, the physicist was awarded the Copley Medal.

Faraday became the author of the first transformer. He owns the concept of “dielectric constant”. In 1836, through a series of experiments, he proved that the charge of the current affects only the shell of the conductor, leaving the objects inside it untouched. In applied science, a device made on the principle of this phenomenon is called a “Faraday cage”.

Discoveries and works

Michael Faraday's discoveries are not only about physics. In 1824 he discovered benzene and isobutylene. The scientist developed a liquid form of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, ethylene, nitrogen dioxide, and synthesized hexachlorane.

In 1835, Faraday was forced to take a two-year break from work due to illness. The cause of the disease was suspected to be the scientist’s contact during experiments with mercury vapor. Having worked for a short time after recovery, in 1840 the professor again felt unwell. I was plagued by weakness and temporary memory loss. The recovery period dragged on for 4 years. In 1841, at the insistence of doctors, the scientist went on a trip to Europe.

The family lived almost in poverty. According to Faraday's biographer John Tyndall, the scientist received a pension of 22 pounds a year. In 1841, Prime Minister William Lamb, Lord Melbourne, under public pressure, signed a decree granting Faraday a state pension of £300 per year.

In 1845, the great scientist managed to attract the attention of the world community with some more discoveries: the discovery of a change in the plane of polarized light in a magnetic field (“Faraday effect”) and diamagnetism (magnetization of a substance to an external magnetic field acting on it).

The government of England more than once asked Michael Faraday for help in solving problems related to technical issues. The scientist developed a program for equipping lighthouses, methods to combat ship corrosion, and acted as a forensic expert. Being a good-natured and peace-loving person by nature, he flatly refused to participate in the creation of chemical weapons for the war with Russia in the Crimean War.

In 1848 she gave Faraday a house on the left bank of the Thames, Hampton Court. The British Queen paid expenses and taxes for the household. The scientist and his family moved into it, leaving business in 1858.

Personal life

Michael Faraday was married to Sarah Barnard (1800-1879). Sarah is the sister of Faraday's friend. The 20-year-old girl did not immediately accept the marriage proposal - the young scientist had to worry. The quiet wedding took place on June 12, 1821. Many years later Faraday wrote:

“I got married - an event that, more than any other, contributed to my happiness on earth and my healthy state of mind.”

Faraday's family, like his wife's family, are members of the Sandemanian Protestant community. Faraday performed the work of deacon of the London community, and was repeatedly elected as an elder.

Death

Michael Faraday was ill. In brief moments, when the illness subsided, he worked. In 1862 he put forward a hypothesis about the movement of spectral lines in a magnetic field. Peter Zeeman was able to confirm the theory in 1897, for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1902. Zeeman named Faraday as the author of the idea.

Michael Faraday died at his desk on August 25, 1867, aged 75. He was buried next to his wife in Highgate Cemetery in London. Before his death, the scientist asked for a modest funeral, so only relatives came. The name of the scientist and the years of his life are carved on the gravestone.

• In his work, the physicist did not forget about children. Lectures for children “The History of a Candle” (1961) are republished to this day.
• Faraday's portrait appears on the British £20 note issued in 1991-1999.
• There were rumors that Davy did not respond to Faraday's request for work. One day, having temporarily lost his sight during a chemical experiment, the professor remembered the persistent young man. After working as a scientist's secretary, the young man so impressed Davy with his erudition that he offered Michael a job in the laboratory.
• After returning from a European tour with Davy's family, Faraday worked as a dishwasher while waiting for an assistantship at the Royal Institution.

Michael Faraday is an English experimental physicist and chemist. Member of the Royal Society of London and many other scientific organizations, including a foreign honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

Faraday made so many discoveries during his life that they would be enough for a good dozen scientists to immortalize his name.

Michael Faraday was born on September 22, 1791 in London, in one of its poorest quarters. His father was a blacksmith, and his mother was the daughter of a tenant farmer. The apartment in which the great scientist was born and spent the first years of his life was located in the backyard and was located above the stables.

When Faraday reached school age, he was sent to primary school. The course Michael took was very narrow and limited only to learning to read, write and begin to count.

A few steps from the house in which the Faraday family lived, there was a bookshop, which was also a bookbinding establishment. This is where Faraday ended up, having completed his primary school course, when the question arose about choosing a profession for him. Faraday was only 13 years old at this time.

It goes without saying that, using for reading such a random source as a bookbindery, Faraday could not adhere to any system, but had to read everything that came to hand. But already in his youth, when Faraday was just beginning his self-education, he sought to rely solely on facts and verify the messages of others with his own experiences. These aspirations manifested themselves throughout his life as the main features of his scientific activity.

Faraday began performing physical and chemical experiments as a boy at his first acquaintance with physics and chemistry. Since he did not receive any remuneration for his work in the bookbindery, his funds were more than insignificant, formed from the occasional earnings that fell to his share.

Some of his master’s customers, who belonged to the scientific world and visited the bookbindery, became interested in the bookbinder’s student devoted to science and, wanting to give him the opportunity to gain at least some systematic knowledge in his favorite sciences - physics and chemistry - arranged for him access to lectures by the then scientists, intended for the public.

One day, Michael Faraday attended one of the lectures of Humphrey Davy, the great English physicist, inventor of the safety lamp for miners. Faraday made a detailed note of the lecture, bound it and sent it to Devi. He was so impressed that he invited Faraday to work with him as a secretary. Devi soon went on a trip to Europe and took Faraday with him. Over the course of two years, they visited the largest European universities.

Returning to London in 1815. Faraday began working as an assistant in one of the laboratories of the Royal Institution in London. At that time it was one of the best physics laboratories in the world. From 1816 to 1818 Faraday published a number of small notes and short memoirs on chemistry. Faraday's first work on physics, devoted to the study of singing flames, dates back to 1818.

By and large, this period was only a preparatory school for Faraday. He did not so much work independently as he studied and prepared for those brilliant works that constituted an era in the history of physics and chemistry.

On June 12, 1821, Michael marries Miss Bernard. Her family had long and friendly acquaintance with the Faradays; it belonged to the same sect of “Zandemans”, of which Faraday was a member. Faraday had been on the best terms with his bride since childhood. The wedding took place without any pomp - in accordance with the nature of the “Zandemanism”, as well as the character of Faraday himself. Faraday's marriage was very happy. Soon after the marriage, Faraday became the head of the Zandeman community.

His financial position by this time had also been strengthened; he was elected caretaker of the house of the Royal Institute, and then director of a chemical laboratory with the corresponding content. At the same time, this election now gave him an excellent opportunity to work for science without any hindrance or constraint.

Based on the experiences of his predecessors, he combined several of his own experiments, and by September 1821, Michael published “The History of the Advances of Electromagnetism.” Already at this time, he formed a completely correct concept of the essence of the phenomenon of deflection of a magnetic needle under the influence of current. Having achieved this success. Faraday abandoned his studies in the field of electricity for ten years, devoting himself to the study of a number of subjects of a different kind.

In the same year, while still working on the issue of the rotation of a magnetic needle under the influence of current, he accidentally came across the phenomenon of evaporation of mercury at ordinary temperatures. Later, Faraday devoted a lot of attention to the study of this subject and, based on his research, established a completely new view of the essence of evaporation. Now he abandoned this question, being carried away by ever new subjects of research. So, he soon began to carry out experiments on the composition of steel and subsequently loved to present his friends with steel razors from open
them alloy.

In 1823, Faraday made one of the most important discoveries in the field of physics - he was the first to liquefy gas and at the same time established a simple but effective method for converting gases into liquid.

In 1824, Faraday made several minor discoveries in the field of physics. Among other things, he established the fact that light affects the color of glass, changing it. The following year, Faraday again turned from physics to chemistry, and the result of his work in this area was the discovery of gasoline and sulfur-naphthalene acid. There is no need to explain the enormous significance of the discovery of the first of these substances.

In 1831, Faraday published a treatise “On a Special Kind of Optical Illusion,” which served as the basis for an excellent and curious optical projectile called the “chromotrope.” In the same year, Faraday’s treatise “On Vibrating Plates” was published.

Many of these works could in themselves immortalize the name of their author. But the most important of Faraday's scientific works are his studies in the field of electromagnetism and electrical induction. Strictly speaking, such a significant department of physics, which interprets the phenomena of electromagnetism and inductive electricity, which is currently of enormous importance for technology, was created by Faraday out of nothing.

The third type of manifestation of electrical energy, discovered by Faraday, induction electricity, is distinguished by the fact that it combines the advantages of the first two types - static and galvanic electricity - and is free from their disadvantages.

Only after Faraday’s research in the field of electromagnetism and induction electricity, only after his discovery of this type of manifestation of electrical energy, did it become possible to turn electricity into an obedient servant of man and perform with it the miracles that are happening now.

Research in electromagnetism and inductive electricity, which constitutes the most valuable diamond in Faraday's crown of glory, consumed the greater part of his life and his energies. As was his custom, Faraday began a series of experiments designed to clarify the essence of the matter. Faraday wound two insulated wires parallel to each other on the same wooden rolling pin; He connected the ends of one wire to a battery of ten cells, and the ends of the other to a sensitive galvanometer. It turned out that at the moment when a current is passed into the first wire, and also when this transmission stops, a current is also excited in the second wire, which in the first case has the opposite direction to the first current and the same with it in the second case and lasts only one instant.

These secondary instantaneous currents, caused by the influence of primary induction, were called inductive by Faraday, and this name has remained with them to this day. Being instantaneous, instantly disappearing after their appearance, inductive currents would have no practical significance if Faraday had not found a way, using an ingenious device (a commutator), to constantly interrupt and re-conduct the primary current coming from the battery along the first wire. Due to this, more and more inductive currents are continuously excited in the second wire, thus becoming constant. Thus, a new source of electrical energy was found, in addition to the previously known ones (friction and chemical processes), - induction, and a new type of this energy - inductive electricity.

These discoveries led to new ones. If it is possible to cause an inductive current by short-circuiting and stopping the galvanic current, then wouldn’t the same result be obtained by magnetizing and demagnetizing iron?

He conducts an experiment of this kind: two insulated wires were wound around an iron ring; with one wire wrapped around one half of the ring, and the other around the other. Current from a galvanic battery was passed through one wire, and the ends of the other were connected to a galvanometer. And so, when the current closed or stopped, and when, consequently, the iron ring was magnetized or demagnetized, the galvanometer needle quickly oscillated and then quickly stopped, that is, the same instantaneous inductive currents were excited in the neutral wire - this time under the influence of magnetism. Thus, here for the first time magnetism was converted into electricity.

Faraday also noticed that the effect of a magnet also manifests itself at some distance from it. He called this phenomenon a magnetic field.

Faraday then begins to study the laws of electrochemical phenomena. The first law established by Faraday is that the amount of electrochemical action does not depend either on the size of the electrodes, or on the current intensity, or on the strength of the decomposing solution, but solely on the amount of electricity passing in the circuit; in other words, the amount of electricity required is proportional to the amount of chemical action. This law was derived by Faraday from countless experiments, the conditions of which he varied indefinitely.

The second, even more important law of electrochemical action, established by Faraday, is that the amount of electricity required for the decomposition of various substances is always inversely proportional to the atomic weight of the substance, or, expressed differently, for the decomposition of a molecule (particle) of any substance The same amount of electricity is always required.

Extensive and versatile work could not but affect Faraday's health. In the last years of this period of his life, he worked with great difficulty. In 1839 and 1840, Faraday's condition was such that he was often forced to interrupt his studies and go somewhere to the seaside towns of England. In 1841, friends convinced Faraday to go to Switzerland to recover his strength for new work with a thorough rest.

It was the first real vacation in a long time. Faraday's life from the time he entered the Royal Institution focused mainly on laboratory and scientific pursuits. Faraday's life consisted of these discoveries and the scientific pursuits that led to them. He devoted himself entirely to scientific pursuits, and outside of them he had no life. He went early in the morning to his laboratory and returned to the bosom of his family only late in the evening, spending all his time among his instruments. And so he spent the entire active part of his life, absolutely not being distracted by anything from his scientific studies. This was the life of a real anchorite of science, and this, perhaps, lies the secret of the numerous discoveries made by Faraday.

The opportunity to devote himself entirely to scientific pursuits for Faraday was determined, however, not only by a certain material security, but even more so by the fact that all external life worries were removed from him by his wife, his real guardian angel. The loving wife took upon herself all the hardships of life to give her husband the opportunity to devote himself entirely to science. Never during their long life together did Faraday feel difficulties of a material nature, which were known only to
wife and who did not distract the mind of the tireless researcher from his great works. Family happiness also served as the best consolation for Faraday in the troubles that befell him in the first years of his scientific career.

The scientist, who survived his wife, wrote about his family life, referring to himself in the third person, as follows: “On June 12, 1821, he married; This circumstance, more than any other, contributed to his earthly happiness and the health of his mind. This union lasted 28 years, without changing in any way, except that mutual affection became deeper and stronger over time.” Few people can give such an autobiographical note about themselves.

Faraday stayed in Switzerland for about a year. Here, apart from correspondence with friends and keeping a diary, he had no other activities. His stay in Switzerland had a very beneficial effect on Faraday's health, and he, returning to England, could begin his scientific work.

The works of this last period of his life were devoted entirely to the phenomena of magnetism, although the discoveries made during this period do not have the grandiose significance that is rightly recognized for the discoveries of the great scientist in the field of induction electricity.

He found that under the influence of a magnet, a polarized beam of light changes its direction. This discovery gave impetus to a number of Faraday's studies in this area. He examined the phenomenon he discovered so thoroughly that after him almost nothing new was done in this regard.

From magnets the researcher moved on to electric currents. During these experiments, Faraday made a new great discovery. We are talking about “magnetic friction”.

The second half of the forties was occupied by work on the magnetism of crystals. Faraday then turned to the magnetic phenomena of flame, which had just been discovered by Bancalari.

And finally. Faraday addresses questions of a purely philosophical nature. He tries to find out the nature of matter, determine the relationship between atom and space, between space and forces, dwells on the question of the hypothetical ether as a carrier of forces, and so on.

However, the scientist became famous not only for his numerous discoveries. Faraday wanted his discoveries to be understandable to those who had not received special education. To do this, he began to popularize scientific knowledge.

Since 1826, Faraday began giving his famous Christmas lectures. One of the most famous of them was called “The History of the Candle from a Chemical Point of View.” It was later published as a separate book and became one of the first popular science publications in the world. This initiative was taken up and developed by many other scientific organizations.

The scientist did not stop his scientific activities until his death. Faraday died on August 25, 1867, at the age of seventy-seven.

Faraday's main achievements

• Michael Faraday gave the world many discoveries, without which modern science simply could not exist.
• Stainless steel was discovered after a scientist conducted a series of experiments in 1820 with the smelting of nickel-containing steel.
• The first working model of an electric motor was created by Faraday in 1821, when he made a magnet rotate around a live conductor.
• Modern gas liquefaction technologies are the heirs of Faraday's experiments on the liquefaction of chlorine (1823).
• Michael Faraday discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction and studied it thoroughly. This phenomenon underlies all modern current generators.
• Scientists discovered the law of electrolysis and introduced the terms “electrodes,” “electrolysis,” and “ions.”
• He introduced the term “magnetic field”, discovered diamagnetism, paramagnetism, and studied the process of producing benzene.

Faraday Michael (1791-1867), English physicist, founder of the doctrine of the electromagnetic field.

Born on September 22, 1791 in London in the family of a blacksmith. He began working early in a bookbinding shop, where he became interested in reading. Michael was shocked by the articles on electricity in the Encyclopedia Britannica: “Conversations on Chemistry” by Madame Marcais and “Letters on Various Physical and Philosophical Matters” by L. Euler. He immediately tried to repeat the experiments described in the books.

The talented young man attracted attention and was invited to listen to lectures at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. After some time, Faraday began working there as a laboratory assistant.

From 1820 he worked hard on the idea of ​​combining electricity and magnetism. Subsequently, this became the scientist’s life’s work. In 1821, Faraday was the first to rotate a magnet around a current-carrying conductor and a current-carrying conductor around a magnet, i.e., he created a laboratory model of an electric motor.

In 1824 he was elected a member of the Royal Society of London. In 1831, the scientist discovered the existence of electromagnetic induction, and in subsequent years established the laws of this phenomenon. He also discovered extracurrents when closing and opening an electrical circuit and determined their direction.

Based on experimental material, he proved the identity of “animal” and “magnetic” thermoelectricity, electricity from friction, and galvanic electricity. Passing current through solutions of alkalis, salts, and acids, he formulated the laws of electrolysis (Faraday's laws) in 1833. Introduced the concepts of “cathode”, “anode”, “ion”, “electrolysis”, “electrode”, “electrolyte”. Constructed a voltmeter.

In 1843, Faraday experimentally proved the idea of ​​conservation of electric charge and came close to the discovery of the law on the conservation and transformation of energy, expressing the idea of ​​​​the unity of the forces of nature and their mutual transformation.

The creator of the doctrine of the electromagnetic field, the scientist expressed an idea about the electromagnetic nature of light (memoir “Thoughts on Ray Oscillations,” 1846).

In 1854 he discovered the phenomenon of diamagnetism, and three years later - paramagnetism. Laid the beginning of magnetooptics. Introduced the concept of electromagnetic field. This idea, according to A. Einstein, was the most important discovery since I. Newton.

Faraday lived modestly and quietly, preferring experiments to everything else.

Died 25 August 1867 in London. The ashes rest in London's Highgate Cemetery. The scientist's ideas are still waiting for a new genius