Michael Faraday

EARLY LIFE AND SELF-EDUCATION Michael Faraday was born on September 22, 1791, in Newington Butts, now part of London, England. The son of a blacksmith, he grew up with limited financial resources and received little formal schooling. As an apprentice bookbinder, he read scientific works that passed through the workshop and developed a lasting interest in experiments. Books, lectures and his own observations became important parts of his education. JOINING THE ROYAL INSTITUTION Faraday attended lectures by the chemist Humphry Davy and prepared detailed notes. His interest and ability helped him obtain a position as a laboratory assistant at the Royal Institution in 1813. He developed skills in practical chemistry, apparatus construction and experimental investigation. Over time, he became an independent researcher, Director of the Laboratory and Fullerian Professor of Chemistry. His association with the institution shaped almost his entire scientific career. ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM In 1821, Faraday demonstrated electromagnetic rotation, producing continuous motion through the interaction of electricity and magnetism. These experiments were an important step towards the electric motor. His discovery of electromagnetic induction in 1831 showed how a changing magnetic influence could generate an electric current. Experiments with an iron ring and coils, followed by a rotating copper disc, helped establish the principles behind transformers and electrical generators. The significance extended beyond the laboratory. These principles became central to technologies for generating and distributing electrical power, although practical machines required further development by many engineers and inventors. CHEMISTRY AND ELECTROLYSIS Faraday also made substantial contributions to chemistry. He investigated gases, alloys and optical glass, and isolated benzene in 1825 while studying material left from gas production. In the early 1830s, his studies of electrolysis established quantitative relationships between the electric charge passing through a substance and the chemical changes produced. These laws helped connect electrical measurement with chemical processes and became foundational to electrochemistry. LIGHT AND THE FIELD CONCEPT In 1845, Faraday discovered that a magnetic field could rotate the plane of polarisation of light passing through certain materials. This magneto-optical phenomenon, now called the Faraday effect, provided evidence of a connection between light and magnetism. He also investigated diamagnetism. Faraday used the idea of lines of force to describe electrical and magnetic effects throughout space. His experimental insights influenced James Clerk Maxwell, who developed a mathematical account of electromagnetism. SCIENCE FOR THE PUBLIC Faraday was a celebrated lecturer who used demonstrations to make difficult ideas accessible. He helped establish the Royal Institution’s Friday Evening Discourses and Christmas Lectures, speaking to audiences that included young people. His lectures on the chemistry of a candle showed how an everyday object could introduce broad scientific principles. Edited by William Crookes, these lectures were published as The Chemical History of a Candle in 1861. DEATH AND LEGACY Faraday died at his home at Hampton Court on August 25, 1867, aged 75. His work transformed the study of electricity, magnetism and chemistry. His legacy rests both on discoveries that underpin electrical technology and on an experimental approach built around careful observation, imaginative apparatus and the public communication of science.