Month: March 2017

Review of Edison and the Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death

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Edison & The Electric Chair

Review of Edison and the Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death

When I picked up Edison and the Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death, I was expecting it to focus primarily on the infamous connection between Thomas Edison and the electric chair. Not that I’m particularly fascinated by the electric chair or capital punishment, but I didn’t realize Edison had any involvement in its invention. However, this book takes a broader approach, exploring much more than just Edison’s role in the electric chair.

A Deeper Look at Edison’s Legacy

While the book does touch on Edison’s biographical background, the focus is not solely on the electric chair. In fact, the book spends more time on the historical rivalry between Edison and George Westinghouse. This so-called “War of Currents” played a crucial role in shaping the modern electrical world, with Edison promoting his direct current (DC) system while Westinghouse championed alternating current (AC). The author delves deeply into this fascinating battle, which is far more complex and intertwined with Edison’s legacy than his role in the electric chair.

The Electric Chair and Edison’s Influence

Despite the focus on the War of Currents, the book does offer a detailed discussion on the electric chair—how it was conceived as a “humane” alternative for executing criminals and the role Edison played in promoting it. The electric chair was part of Edison’s strategy to discredit alternating current, which was associated with the method of execution. It’s a gripping and chilling part of history, and the book provides images and descriptions of various execution methods used before the electric chair became the standard.

How Does Edison and the Electric Chair Relate to Metering?

Although the primary focus of the book is on Edison and his inventions, there are a couple of interesting mentions related to metering. One notable figure is Elihu Thompson, a pioneer in metering who is briefly discussed in the context of the electrical industry’s early days. While metering isn’t a central theme of the book, these references provide insight into the technological developments that Edison’s work helped shape.

Would I Recommend Edison and the Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death?

Despite not being exactly what I expected, I would definitely recommend Edison and the Electric Chair. The book offers a deep dive into Edison’s complex character, the fierce competition with Westinghouse, and the unintended consequences of technological innovation. The sections on the electric chair are both chilling and enlightening, making it a thought-provoking read for anyone interested in history, technology, and ethics.

If you’re curious to learn more about Edison’s darker legacy and how his innovations changed the world, check out Edison and the Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death.










What is the difference between voltage and current?

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Voltage and current are two different measures that are found in electricity. They are both present in every electrical circuit from the flashlight all the way to refrigerators. But, the question is what is the difference? To illustrate the difference between voltage and current we will look at the age old comparison of electricity to water.

Current Flow

Current is a bit easier to illustrate. We can compare it to water in a garden hose. Imagine you have a simple water wheel. To make this water wheel turn you need to pour water over it. Let’s say we have two different sized water hoses. One is 3/4″ and the other is 1″. Now, let’s pour the water over the water wheel with the smaller hose and see what happens. The water wheel turns. Now, the larger hose. What happens? The water wheel turns faster.

This is a result of more water flowing in the larger water hose. More water = faster water wheel. Pretty simple. We need to make sure that when we think of current in the same way as water in a hose that we always think of the hose as full all the time. That way when you turn the hose on you instantly have water flow.

In the early days of electricity it was a commonly held belief that electricity was a fluid. This fluid was made up of tiny particles that would flow into different materials.

Voltage, the Driving Force

Again we are going to compare voltage to the water system. First remember that voltage is the driving or electromotive force that is a part of electrical circuits. How does this translate to water? Think of the voltage as the pressure in a water system.








With the two hoses from the example above how can we make the smaller hose move the water wheel faster? With more pressure of course. So, with more pressure the smaller hose can make the water wheel turn faster. How does this relate to voltage?

Example

Look at the distribution lines above your head next time you are out and about. The wires on these lines carry thousands of volts. However, they are not very big. Remember Ohm’s Law? Let’s say you have a 2,500 watt motor. This is a multi-voltage motor. Meaning that you can wire it a couple of different ways depending on the voltage available. You need to run new wires to this motor, but what size do you need? That depends on the voltage.

Wait, I know what you are saying. Wire is sized by the number of amps. You are correct. However, depending on the voltage we may be able to run a smaller wire therefore possibly saving money. If the voltage in this case is 120 then the amperage will be 2,500/120 = 20.8 amps requiring a 10 gauge wire. If the voltage is 240 then the amperage will be 2,500/240 = 10.4 amps requiring a smaller 12 gauge wire.

Conclusion

Voltage and current are two different quantities that go hand in hand. Voltage is the driving force while current is the flow of electrons in the circuit.