Faraday

Michael Faraday (22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English scientist whose experiments in electricity and magnetism established the foundations of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His work helped develop the concept of the electromagnetic field and inspired technologies such as electric generators and motors. The SI unit of capacitance, the farad, is named in his honor.

Born in Newington, London, Faraday came from a working-class background. He was apprenticed to a bookbinder and educated himself by reading. He attended lectures at the Royal Institution, where he became a laboratory assistant to Humphry Davy and later conducted independent research and public demonstrations that popularized science.

In 1831 Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction: a changing magnetic flux through a circuit induces an electric current. This pivotal finding underpins the operation of generators and transformers and led to Faraday’s laws of electromagnetic induction, as well as the broader idea of field lines describing physical forces.

In electrochemistry, Faraday formulated laws that quantify the relationship between electric charge and chemical change, showing that a fixed amount of charge produces a fixed amount of substance. He introduced essential concepts such as electrolyte, ion, anode, and cathode, and calculated the amount of substance produced during electrolysis in terms of charge, introducing the Faraday constant.

Faraday also devised the Faraday cage, a conductive enclosure that shields its contents from external electric fields, and he described the magneto-optic effect known as Faraday rotation. His work at the Royal Institution and his outreach through popular lectures contributed to the public understanding of science and influenced the subsequent development of modern electromagnetism.