Electricity and Magnetism — Key Discoveries
Key Discoveries
Coulomb's Law of Electrostatics
1785Charles-Augustin de Coulomb's experiments precisely quantified the force between two stationary electric charges. This law established the inverse square relationship for…
Ørsted's Discovery of Electromagnetism
1820Hans Christian Ørsted's accidental observation that an electric current could deflect a compass needle was a pivotal moment, demonstrating the first direct experimental link…
Faraday's Laws of Electromagnetic Induction
1831Michael Faraday's experiments revealed that a changing magnetic field through a conductor loop induces an electromotive force (EMF) and thus an electric current. This phenomenon,…
Maxwell's Equations and Electromagnetic Waves
1860sJames Clerk Maxwell's synthesis of existing laws of electricity and magnetism into a unified set of four equations was a monumental achievement. These equations not only described…
Discovery of the Electron
1897J.J. Thomson's experiments with cathode rays led to the discovery of the electron, the first subatomic particle. He demonstrated that cathode rays were composed of negatively…