A3
The history of batteries really shocked me when I learned how long they have been around for. I had always believed that electricity hasn't even been invented or properly used by humans until the late 1800's when Thomas Edison began experimenting with it. However, scientists have discovered that the presence of batteries dates back long before then. In 1936, workers discovered an ancient battery in the ground while building a railroad near Baghdad, Iraq. The battery, known as a Parthian battery, is the earliest known battery known to man. The battery consisted of just a clay container, with an iron rod wrapped in a copper cylinder inside, and filled with an electrolyte solution (vinegar). The prehistoric device merely produced approximately 1.1 to 2.0 volts of electricity, but that is still very impressive considering that they are estimated to be over 4,300 years old. In the mid 1700's, humans began experimenting with electricity again, as scientist Ewald Georg von Kleist created the "Leyden jar", which stored static electricity in a glass jar with metallic foil lining the inside and outside of the jar. However, despite being able to capture a small amount of electricity at this time, von Kleist and his peers still lacked the sense and research to understand or explain how and why this occurred at the time.
By the year 1800, Alessandro Volta learned that some solutions/liquids would generate a steady flow of electricity/energy when used as a conductor. This breakthrough paved the way for his invention of the "voltaic cell" or also known as the battery, as well as the entire evolution of batteries for the future. Through further experimentation, Volta discovered more ways that he could affect or increase the voltage/energy produced, through methods such as stacking the voltaic cells on one another, or testing different types of metals/elements and observing which ones produced more. This was a huge milestone in the history of batteries and electricity, as it was first becoming possible to achieve a continuous flow of energy, as opposed to just single quick sparks at a time. The 1800's was an important/big time for experimenting with batteries and electricity and their evolution through history. Inventor, Sir Humphry Davy, discovered the process of electrolysis after learning that electrical currents go through some decomposition when traveling through substances. Sir Humphrey is also responsible for introducing the world's most large and powerful battery, as he would connect it to electrodes through charcoal, producing the first electric light by humanity in the year 1800. Just two years later, William Cruickshank produced the first battery designed for mass production. These batteries were an enormous breakthrough at this time, but they were still absolutely nothing like the modern batteries we use today. In 1836, chemist John F. Daniell worked on improving the batteries and making them more efficient. In 1859, Gaston Planté developed the world's first rechargeable battery. Between 1899 and 1947, several scientists such as Waldmar Jungner, Thomas Edison, Schlecht and Ackermann, and Georg Neumann continued to develop and improve the batteries as they sought to make them more efficient, long-lasting, and cheap to produce. It wasn't until 1991 when the first lithium-based batteries were developed by Sony. These lithium batteries were the first "modern" batteries produced, as they are much smaller and more powerful than any other battery before. Lithium-ion based batteries are the most common batteries we use today.
The evolution and development of batteries through history is based almost purely on influence from other models/types. As time goes on, our science, intelligence, and technology continues to improve. From a metal rod inside a jug of vinegar, to containers wrapped in foil filled with water, to the small batteries we buy at the store, this is all proof of how technology is always evolving and becoming better. Batteries have come such a long way and have become so efficient today; however, inventions and improvements never cease to exist. Therefore, I strongly believe that the history and evolution of batteries are far from over. I think that the age we live in today is already so advanced that the possibilities for the future of batteries are endless. Possibilities include even smaller/powerful/longer lasting batteries, or even wireless or Bluetooth batteries/charging for future technologies. I find this so compelling personally, because I actually have batteries in my own body. As a baby I had two pacemakers surgically implanted into my chest, each of which runs on battery power. Every couple years I require surgery to get those batteries replaced when their power gets too low. However, in my twenty years as I've grown up, there have been improvements on the pacemaker batteries, including slightly smaller batteries and rechargeable ones. Learning about the tremendous evolution and history of batteries gives me hope that one day they can continue to develop even smaller/longer lasting/more efficient batteries for my pacemakers and make life easier.
By the year 1800, Alessandro Volta learned that some solutions/liquids would generate a steady flow of electricity/energy when used as a conductor. This breakthrough paved the way for his invention of the "voltaic cell" or also known as the battery, as well as the entire evolution of batteries for the future. Through further experimentation, Volta discovered more ways that he could affect or increase the voltage/energy produced, through methods such as stacking the voltaic cells on one another, or testing different types of metals/elements and observing which ones produced more. This was a huge milestone in the history of batteries and electricity, as it was first becoming possible to achieve a continuous flow of energy, as opposed to just single quick sparks at a time. The 1800's was an important/big time for experimenting with batteries and electricity and their evolution through history. Inventor, Sir Humphry Davy, discovered the process of electrolysis after learning that electrical currents go through some decomposition when traveling through substances. Sir Humphrey is also responsible for introducing the world's most large and powerful battery, as he would connect it to electrodes through charcoal, producing the first electric light by humanity in the year 1800. Just two years later, William Cruickshank produced the first battery designed for mass production. These batteries were an enormous breakthrough at this time, but they were still absolutely nothing like the modern batteries we use today. In 1836, chemist John F. Daniell worked on improving the batteries and making them more efficient. In 1859, Gaston Planté developed the world's first rechargeable battery. Between 1899 and 1947, several scientists such as Waldmar Jungner, Thomas Edison, Schlecht and Ackermann, and Georg Neumann continued to develop and improve the batteries as they sought to make them more efficient, long-lasting, and cheap to produce. It wasn't until 1991 when the first lithium-based batteries were developed by Sony. These lithium batteries were the first "modern" batteries produced, as they are much smaller and more powerful than any other battery before. Lithium-ion based batteries are the most common batteries we use today.
The evolution and development of batteries through history is based almost purely on influence from other models/types. As time goes on, our science, intelligence, and technology continues to improve. From a metal rod inside a jug of vinegar, to containers wrapped in foil filled with water, to the small batteries we buy at the store, this is all proof of how technology is always evolving and becoming better. Batteries have come such a long way and have become so efficient today; however, inventions and improvements never cease to exist. Therefore, I strongly believe that the history and evolution of batteries are far from over. I think that the age we live in today is already so advanced that the possibilities for the future of batteries are endless. Possibilities include even smaller/powerful/longer lasting batteries, or even wireless or Bluetooth batteries/charging for future technologies. I find this so compelling personally, because I actually have batteries in my own body. As a baby I had two pacemakers surgically implanted into my chest, each of which runs on battery power. Every couple years I require surgery to get those batteries replaced when their power gets too low. However, in my twenty years as I've grown up, there have been improvements on the pacemaker batteries, including slightly smaller batteries and rechargeable ones. Learning about the tremendous evolution and history of batteries gives me hope that one day they can continue to develop even smaller/longer lasting/more efficient batteries for my pacemakers and make life easier.
Works Cited:
Buchmann, Isidor. “BU-101: When Was the Battery Invented?” Battery University, Cadex, 9 Apr. 2017, batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/when_was_the_battery_invented.
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