What Came First: Electricity or Electric Bulb?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the question of what was invented first, electricity or the electric bulb. It is pointed out that electricity cannot be invented as it exists independently, but rather it was discovered. There is also discussion about the different forms of electricity and how they are used. Overall, there is no clear answer to the question and it is debated whether it is even a valid question to ask. Some examples of early uses of electricity are mentioned, such as touching electric eels to cure headaches, and it is suggested that electricity was initially a solution without a problem. The conversation also delves into the debate of whether the chicken or the egg came first, with the conclusion that it depends on one's perspective and understanding of evolution.
  • #1
vikasj007
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1
Well folks, this one is a seemingly simple question, but i am not sure if it is really so.

All that I want to know is what was invented first?

Electricity, or Electric Bulb (or for that matter, anything which requires electricity to function).
 
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  • #2
"Electricity" as such, can not be invented. It exists independent of our existence, so it could only have been discovered. However, if you mean "electricity" in the sense of "electric generation and transmission", then that's a different question. I know that Edison was involved with both. He was a strong proponent against the use of AC power in household outlets. And surely he was 'involved' in the invention of the incandescent bulb - whether or not he was the first is debatable - and he tried a whole cartload of filamant materials, some of them really bizarre.
 
  • #3
vikasj007 said:
Well folks, this one is a seemingly simple question, but i am not sure if it is really so.

All that I want to know is what was invented first?

Electricity, or Electric Bulb (or for that matter, anything which requires electricity to function).

erm... i think this question is as cruel as "what appeared earlier a hen or an egg?"
imho, there is no sense in such questions, because in physics everything is in a strict connection with each other. you perform an experiment - receive the results - try to find some laws - create the theory - check the theory using the experiment, while the manner of the experiment is determined by the theory and so on... so, say to create a bulb you needed electric current, that is some basic knowledge on electricity, but this knowldege is based on the experiments, which deal with "bulbs", paper etc...
 
  • #4
well Gokul43201 may be right about the invention and discovery, but the basic question posed here is, if bulb was invented first then it was on what basis and how was it tested.
on the other hand, if electricity was invented (discovered) first, what was the aim behind it, i mean they must have been working on it with some aim in mind, which definitely was not of a bulb.

try finding a more suitable answer. please!
 
  • #5
Perhaps at the time of its discovery electricity was an example of a 'solution without a problem'? In other words, people weren't really sure what it was useful for.

I'm not sure if this is true in this case, but my point is that not all discoveries need an 'aim'. The laser is another good example, it took people years to figure out what to use them for, but now we couldn't imagine life without them.

Matt
 
  • #6
that is a little bit convincing, baffledmatt, and u may be right but I'm still open for anyone else who can give a little better answer.
 
  • #7
Electricity (except it wasn't invented). People used naturally occurring electricity long before light bulbs. One example I can think of is the old custom of touching electric eels to cure headaches.
 
  • #8
hmm tell me how you "invent" electricity... besides a way to generate it
 
  • #9
Electricity must have come first because without it it would have been impossible to know if a light bulb worked. Anyway electricity can be created by a magnet spinning in an iron frame with a coil of wire around the iron. This cannot have been hard to do. It would most likely have been tried to see the affect on the iron and the poor person holding the wires got an electric shock.

Not much from me because I think it is a bit naff but never mind. :tongue2:

The Bob (2004 ©)
 
  • #10
vikasj007 said:
Well folks, this one is a seemingly simple question, but i am not sure if it is really so.

All that I want to know is what was invented first?

Electricity, or Electric Bulb (or for that matter, anything which requires electricity to function).

Electricity was not invented, it was discovered. Moreover, what we describe as electromagnetism is something that has been studied for more than 4000 years, and our current views are heavily influenced by discoveries from the 19th century (maxwell's equations) and, in some situations by even more recent discoveries. Consequently, even if we allow for invented to be replaced by discovered, it's not at all apparent when exactly electricity was discovered.

Similarly, "anything which requires electricity to function" is quite unclear. Electro-chemical processes take place in all terestrial life. The radio emissions from astronomical masers that is being measured now originated millions of years ago. Even on a human scale, magnetic compasses have been used for a long time.
 
  • #11
hemmul said:
erm... i think this question is as cruel as "what appeared earlier a hen or an egg?"

See, now this is what happens when the physicists don't drop in and visit us in the biology topic. :wink: The chicken had to come first. The egg would have been the egg of a different species in which a sufficient mutation would have occurred for a chick to hatch that was a different species from its parent. Evolution! :biggrin:
 
  • #12
Moonbear said:
See, now this is what happens when the physicists don't drop in and visit us in the biology topic. :wink: The chicken had to come first. The egg would have been the egg of a different species in which a sufficient mutation would have occurred for a chick to hatch that was a different species from its parent. Evolution! :biggrin:
Except that what you're describing is the egg coming first. I.e. if a chicken has to hatch out of a chicken egg, then the original chicken egg was not technically laid by a chicken - it was a mutant egg laid by a fowl-that-is-almost-a-chicken-but-not-quite (Pulletus approximus :wink: )
 
  • #13
You are also assuming that evolution happened.

The Bob (2004 ©)
 

1. What is electricity?

Electricity is a form of energy that is created by the movement of electrons. It is a fundamental part of our daily lives and is used to power everything from lights and appliances to computers and transportation.

2. When was electricity discovered?

The discovery of electricity is often credited to Benjamin Franklin in 1752 when he flew a kite in a thunderstorm and observed sparks jumping from a key attached to the end of the string. However, the concept of electricity had been known for centuries before this, and scientists like William Gilbert and Otto von Guericke had already made significant advancements in the field.

3. What came first: electricity or the electric bulb?

Electricity came first. The invention of the electric bulb was made possible by harnessing electricity, which had been known and studied for centuries before the first electric bulb was created. Thomas Edison is credited with inventing the first commercially successful electric bulb in 1879.

4. How does an electric bulb work?

An electric bulb, also known as an incandescent light bulb, works by passing electricity through a thin wire filament, causing it to heat up and emit light. The bulb is filled with an inert gas, such as argon, to prevent the filament from burning out. As the filament heats up, it glows and produces light.

5. What are some other ways to create light besides using electricity?

Other forms of light, such as fire, have been used throughout history to create light. In modern times, there are several other methods of creating light, including solar power, chemical reactions (such as in glow sticks), and friction (such as in the case of rubbing two sticks together to create a fire).

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