Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction
Faraday demonstrated electromagnetic induction in 1831 using an iron ring wound with two wire coils; on interrupting battery current in one coil, momentary currents arose in the other. Between Faraday’s ring and the induction coil, coiled instruments developed via meandering paths. This paper explor...
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| Format: | Article |
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Informa UK Limited
2023
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/151798 https://doi.org/10.1080/00033790600741018 |
| _version_ | 1826212597953724416 |
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| author | Cavicchi, Elizabeth |
| author2 | Edgerton Center (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) |
| author_facet | Edgerton Center (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Cavicchi, Elizabeth |
| author_sort | Cavicchi, Elizabeth |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Faraday demonstrated electromagnetic induction in 1831 using an iron ring wound with two wire coils; on interrupting battery current in one coil, momentary currents arose in the other. Between Faraday’s ring and the induction coil, coiled instruments developed via meandering paths. This paper explores the opening phase of that work in the late 1830s, as the iron core, primary wire coil and secondary wire coil were researched and differentiated. ‘Working knowledge’ (defined by Baird) gained with materials and phenomena was crucial to innovations. To understand these material-based interactions, I experimented with hand-wound coils, along with examining historical texts, drawings and artefacts. My experience recovered the historical dead-end of two-wire coils and ensuing work with long-coiled single conductors initiated by Faraday and Henry. The shock and spark heightened in these coils provided feedback to the many instrumental configurations tested by Page, Callan, Sturgeon, Bachhoffner, and others. The continuous conductor differentiated into two segments soldered together: a thick short wire carrying battery current and a long thin wire for elevating shocks (voltage). The joined wires eventually separated, yet their transitional connection documents belief that the induced effects depend on continuity. These coiled instruments, with their intertwined histories, show experimental work and understandings in the process of developing. Seeing the nonlinear paths by which these instruments developed deepens our understanding of historical experiences, and of how people learn. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T15:28:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/151798 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T15:28:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Informa UK Limited |
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| spelling | mit-1721.1/1517982023-08-23T03:07:22Z Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction Cavicchi, Elizabeth Edgerton Center (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Faraday demonstrated electromagnetic induction in 1831 using an iron ring wound with two wire coils; on interrupting battery current in one coil, momentary currents arose in the other. Between Faraday’s ring and the induction coil, coiled instruments developed via meandering paths. This paper explores the opening phase of that work in the late 1830s, as the iron core, primary wire coil and secondary wire coil were researched and differentiated. ‘Working knowledge’ (defined by Baird) gained with materials and phenomena was crucial to innovations. To understand these material-based interactions, I experimented with hand-wound coils, along with examining historical texts, drawings and artefacts. My experience recovered the historical dead-end of two-wire coils and ensuing work with long-coiled single conductors initiated by Faraday and Henry. The shock and spark heightened in these coils provided feedback to the many instrumental configurations tested by Page, Callan, Sturgeon, Bachhoffner, and others. The continuous conductor differentiated into two segments soldered together: a thick short wire carrying battery current and a long thin wire for elevating shocks (voltage). The joined wires eventually separated, yet their transitional connection documents belief that the induced effects depend on continuity. These coiled instruments, with their intertwined histories, show experimental work and understandings in the process of developing. Seeing the nonlinear paths by which these instruments developed deepens our understanding of historical experiences, and of how people learn. 2023-08-22T14:44:34Z 2023-08-22T14:44:34Z 2006 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0003-3790 1464-505X https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/151798 Cavicchi, Elizabeth. "Nineteenth-century developments in coiled instruments and experiences with electromagnetic induction." Annals of Science 63, no. 3 (2006): 319-361. https://doi.org/10.1080/00033790600741018 https://doi.org/10.1080/00033790600741018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00033790600741018 Annals of Science Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf Informa UK Limited Elizabeth Cavicchi |
| spellingShingle | Cavicchi, Elizabeth Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction |
| title | Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction |
| title_full | Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction |
| title_fullStr | Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction |
| title_short | Nineteenth-Century Developments in Coiled Instruments and Experiences with Electromagnetic Induction |
| title_sort | nineteenth century developments in coiled instruments and experiences with electromagnetic induction |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/151798 https://doi.org/10.1080/00033790600741018 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cavicchielizabeth nineteenthcenturydevelopmentsincoiledinstrumentsandexperienceswithelectromagneticinduction |