Who invented electromagnetism?

Answer 1

An electromagnet is a device in which magnetism is produced by an electric current. British electrician, William Sturgeon invented the electromagnet in 1825. The first electromagnet was a horseshoe-shaped piece of iron that was wrapped with a loosely wound coil of several turns. When a current was passed through the coil; the electromagnet became magnetized and when the current was stopped the coil was de-magnetized. Sturgeon displayed its power by lifting nine pounds with a seven-ounce piece of iron wrapped with wires through which the current of a single cell battery was sent. Sturgeon could regulate his electromagnet; this was the beginning of using electrical energy for making useful and controllable machines and laid the foundations for large-scale electronic communications. Five year later an inventor called Joseph Henry - made a far more powerful version of the electromagnet. American, Joseph Henry (1797-1878), demonstrated the potential of Sturgeon's device for long distance communication by sending an electronic current over one mile of wire to activate an electromagnet which caused a bell to strike. Thus the electric telegraph was born.

Answer 2

No one "invented" or "discovered" electromagnetism. It has always been here with us because it is, after all, one of the four fundamental forces in the universe. It is our understanding of what it is and how it can be used that was "invented" over time and by a number of contributors.

Lightning was observed by the earliest men. Ancients knew of electric eels, as was recorded by the Egyptians. It was written about by those in Greece, Rome and Arabia. Static electricity was known at that time, too, meaning the kind you can make rubbing fur on some materials. Lots of folks were thinking about it in the years B.C., but they didn't make a lot of headway explaining it because of the subtle nature of electricity and magnetism. It stayed that way until many hundreds of years later.

William Gilbert was an early investigator, as were Robert Boyle, C. F. du Fay, Stephen Gray, and Otto von Guericke. Even Benjamin Franklin toyed with electricity, as we are frequently told. Luigi Galvani and Alessandro Volta are names associated with advances in the understanding of electricity. The connection between electricity and magnetism was due to the work of Hans Christian Ørsted and André-Marie Ampère.

It was later in the 19th century when the most progress was made in understanding electromagnetics. James Clerk Maxwell, Michael Faraday, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Ernst Werner von Siemens, Alexander Graham Bell and Lord Kelvin all made contributions to a further understanding of the nature of the electromagnetic force. By the 20th century, we had a pretty good handle on electromagnetism, and we could use it to make electricity and electric motors and so many of the things that make our world "modern" and give us all the comfort and convenience we enjoy today - even though we may not think very much about it.

There are some links below, and they will take the curious investigator to relevant Wikipedia articles.

The connection between electricity and magnetism was due to the work of Hans Christian Ørsted and André-Marie Ampère. It cannot be said that anyone "discovered" electricity or magnetism, but only that curiosity and investigation over many centuries lead to the understanding of the nature of electromagnetism. The list of investigators is a long one, and it even includes Ben Franklin. Use the link below to the related question on who "invented" electromagnetism. It explains a few things.

Answer 3

The Danish physicist, Hans Christian Orsted. invented the electromagnet in 1820.