Michael Faraday

An English scientist whose foundational discoveries in electromagnetism and electrochemistry made electricity a practical source of power for the modern world.

This biography of Michael Faraday helps you learn English through real historical stories.

born1791

died1867

nationalityEnglish

known forelectromagnetic induction, the electric motor, and the Faraday cage

fieldphysics and chemistry

Key Takeaways

He started as a bookbinder's apprentice and became one of history's greatest scientists
He invented the first electric motor, converting electrical energy into mechanical motion
He discovered electromagnetic induction, paving the way for the invention of electric generators
He introduced the concept of electromagnetic fields and invented the Faraday cage

Life Timeline

1791

Born in Newington Butts, London

1812

Attended lectures by Humphry Davy and became his assistant

1821

Invented the first electric motor

1831

Discovered electromagnetic induction, leading to the electric generator

1836

Invented the Faraday cage to block electromagnetic fields

1867

Died in Hampton Court, London

Biography Reading: Michael Faraday

background

Michael Faraday was born in 1791 in London to a poor, working-class family. Receiving only a basic formal education, he began working as an errand boy and later an apprentice bookbinder at the age of 14. Surrounded by books, he developed a voracious appetite for reading, particularly works on science and electricity. His life changed completely in 1812 when he attended lectures by the eminent chemist Humphry Davy. Faraday bound his detailed notes from these lectures into a book and sent them to Davy, who was so impressed that he hired the young man as his laboratory assistant.

achievement

Working at the Royal Institution, Faraday transitioned from a humble assistant into one of the greatest experimental scientists in history. In 1821, he built the first electric motor, demonstrating that electrical energy could be converted into mechanical motion. A decade later, in 1831, he made his most crucial breakthrough: electromagnetic induction. By moving a magnet through a coil of copper wire, he generated an electric current. This monumental discovery proved that magnetism could produce electricity, leading directly to the invention of the electric transformer and the electric generator, the very foundation of the modern power grid.

impact

Despite his lack of advanced mathematical training, Faraday's brilliant physical intuition allowed him to visualize invisible forces, introducing the concept of "lines of force" or electromagnetic fields. He also made major contributions to chemistry, including the discovery of benzene and the laws of electrolysis. In 1836, he invented the "Faraday cage," an enclosure that blocks external electromagnetic fields. A deeply humble and religious man, Faraday repeatedly declined a knighthood and the presidency of the Royal Society. Today, he is universally celebrated as the scientist who took electricity from a scientific curiosity and transformed it into a viable, world-changing source of power.