Michael Faraday was born in Newington, Surrey, England, on September 22, 1791. His family was extremely poor, so he could not go to school. Instead, he became apprenticed to a bookbinder when he was 14. The good part was that Faraday was surrounded by books, so he was able to read a lot. In 1812, he met scientist Sir Humphry Davy, who offered him a job in his laboratory as his assistant.
In 1821, Michael Faraday married Sarah Barnard. At the same time, he made his first successful experiment: electromagnetic rotation, a very rudimentary engine.
Working then at the Royal Institution under the
guidance of Davy, in 1825, Faraday discovered the hydrocarbon benzene and
became the father of an entire branch of organic chemistry. As he never had
forgotten his poor childhood, he started some conferences about science for young
people without means. These conferences are still celebrated during Christmas.
Finally, in 1831, his most famous achievement came to reality: electromagnetic induction. This meant that when he moved a magnet through a coil of wire, a current was produced. Thanks to this discovery, the electric generator was developed, the origin of all modern electric power plants. Faraday was awarded by the Oxford University in 1832. His laws of electrolysis, formulated in 1833, linked chemistry and electricity.
Other discoveries include, for instance, the Faraday cage or shield, consisting of an enclosure used to block electromagnetic fields. He also studied the relation between light and magnetic fields, known as the Faraday effect or rotation.
Michael Faraday died at Hampton Court, Surrey, on August 25, 1867.
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