To study in-depth about the electricity and the resulting developments was possible only with the battery. The experiment was done by twitching the frog’s legs resulted in a wrong theory that led to battery development.
Alessandro Volta was born exactly 275 years ago, the first groundbreaking invention, known as the first battery that happened. He was born in Como, Italy on February 18, 1745, where he pioneered electrical engineering and electronics. It was mentioned as the first usable, continuous power source where the study of electricity and numerous inventions was enabled which resulted from it, one after the other.
Initially, Volta’s parents wanted him to pursue a legal career, but he was passionate about physics even though he was a law student. Volta taught himself the science of electricity where he was able to make great contacts with physics. The self-study of electricity bought him closer to his invention.
Alessandro Volta next to a model of Volta’s column.
Luigi Galvani who was a natural scientist made a discovery that was far-reaching while he was experimenting with frog’s legs. The experiment led to the discovery that the muscles were twitching as they came in contact with the copper and iron that were connected.
This led to the confirmation that a new form of electricity was discovered by the doctor and anatomist and called it “animal electricity”. The frog acted as the capacitor and the electricity was opened up by the metal as Galvani was sure.
The phenomenon was correctly interpreted by Volta, known as Galvanism. It was a simple contraction of muscles by electric current. The twitching frog was more of a detector and acted as a current indicator.
The success to create an electric circuit was without any intention by Galvani. The invention led to a broke out in the world of science that was a long-standing dispute about who being right: Volta or Galvani.
The resulting invention motivated Volta to study electricity in-depth and finally arrived at the great’s invention: the first battery, or “Volta’s column” resulted. But Galvani disproved it. The first working battery was developed and invented as “The artificial electrical organ” known as Volta’s column.
The invention was introduced in 1800 to science by Volta. May copper and zinc plates were stacked in the column on top of each other and it was separated by cardboard pieces or impregnated leather with electrolyte.
Source:- Elektrotechnik.vogel.de