Alessandro Volta scientific achievements. Alessandro Volta inventions, discoveries and scientific achievements

Date of birth: February 18, 1745
Place of birth: Como, Italy
Date of death: March 5, 1827
Place of death: Como, Italy

Alessandro Volta aka Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Geralamo Umberto Volta - Italian physicist.

Alessandro Volta was born on February 18, 1745 in Italy into the family of a priest. He was the fourth child in the family, but his mother was an illegitimate wife, so for the first year he was raised by a wet nurse, and then returned to the family and spoke only at the age of 7.

In 1752, his father died and Alessandro was given to his uncle to be raised. The uncle began to teach his nephew Latin, history, mathematics and etiquette. Alessandro eagerly studied all sciences and strove to learn as much as possible, he was inquisitive, which hardly cost him his life. While studying the shine in the water, he almost drowned.

Volta read a lot, studied the art of creating thermometers and barometers.

In 1757 he began to study in a philosophy class at the College of the Jesuit Order, but in 1761 his uncle took the boy from there because he did not want his nephew to become a Jesuit.

In 1758, Halley's comet passed in the skies over Italy, and Alessandro, struck by this vision, began to study Newton's works in more detail and strive for physics. He sent his thoughts about the comet in the form of a letter to Academician Nollet in Paris.

After studying Franklin's work, in 1768 Volta created a lightning rod with bells that would ring if a thunderstorm was approaching.
In 1774 he became supernumerary intendant-regent of the royal school in his city.

At the age of 29, he creates an electrophore, which has become an eternal carrier of electricity. Using an electrophorus, it was possible to create an unlimited discharge of energy and transfer it to a Leyden jar. The news of the creation of the electrophorus alarmed all scientific minds, and Volta himself became famous and in 1775 he was appointed a teacher at school.

Volta soon invented gas burners and pistols, in which gunpowder was replaced by gas ignited by electricity. It was then that he first started talking about power lines.

In 1778 he visited Voltaire in Switzerland, and was soon appointed professor of experimental physics at the University of Pavia.

After that, he invented an electrometer with a capacitor, and in 1782 he interned at the Paris Academy of Sciences and became its member, a year later in Padua he became a fellow of the Academy of Sciences, in 1785 he worked as rector of the University of Pavia, and in 1791 he became a member of the Royal Society of London.

In 1791, Volta read Galvani’s work on the study of animal electricity and put forward his theory of the formation of electricity in frogs, or rather not about its formation, but that the tissues of the animal body serve as electrometers.

Developing his theory, he created a series of metals with a layer of fabric soaked in salt, and noticed that such a column enhanced electrification. So he invented the voltaic column - a source of direct current.

In 1800, he became a professor of experimental physics at the University of Pavia, appointed by Napoleon himself, and soon, at the request of Bonaparte, he became a member of the commission of the Institute of France for the study of galvanism and received a gold medal with the First Consul's Prize.

In 1802 he became a member of the Academy of Bologna, in 1803 a member of the Institute of France, in 1819 a member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

After this, he was awarded a lifelong pension by the Pope.

In 1809, Volta was appointed senator, and in 1810, count. In 1812 he becomes president of the Electoral College.

In 1814 he already worked as dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Pavia.

Alessandro Volta's achievements:

Invented the DC power source
Invention of the Voltaic Column and the Chemical Battery

Dates from the biography of Alessandro Volta:

February 18, 1745 - born in Italy
1752 - given to his uncle to raise
1757-1761 – studying at the Jesuit college
1768 – invented the lightning rod
1791 - creation of the Voltaic Column
1800 – invention of the chemical battery
March 5, 1827 - death

Interesting facts of Alessandro Volta:

The physical unit of measurement of potential difference is named after Volta
A crater on the moon bears his name
Napoleon put his merits higher than those of Voltaire

Volta Alessandro

(b. 1745 - d. 1827)

Italian scientist - physicist and physiologist, one of the founders of the doctrine of electricity. His passion for science was as great as for women.

Alessandro Volta lived in turbulent times. Before his eyes, science was renewed, young America loudly declared itself, Napoleon ascended to the pinnacle of power, once again redrawing the map of Europe. Volta was not only a witness, but also a participant in many significant events, especially those that took place in the world of science and technological progress. At the same time, his professional passion was in no way inferior in intensity to human passions. True, there were slightly different parameters here. The strength and unpredictability of Volta’s love interests certainly cannot be measured by the physical quantity that has gone down in history under the term “volt.” Paradoxically, a born family man, an affectionate and caring father, Volta got married only when he was already approaching fifty. But before his marriage, he was by no means an ascetic who shunned the joys of life. Volta traveled a lot, met famous people, knew great love and all-consuming passion, which he always remembered.

The full name of the scientist is Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta, although on the largest Italian banknote of 10,000 lire the inscription is much more modest - “A. Volta." But even this brief designation of the name of a genius will tell a lot not only to an Italian, but also to any inhabitant of the earth who has heard at least something about electricity.

Alessandro was born into an unusual family. His father, the handsome Filippo Volta, who was a member of the Jesuit order, fell madly in love with a nineteen-year-old novice of one of the monasteries, the daughter of Count Inzaghi Maddalena, who amazed everyone with her angelic beauty. An irresistible passion captured the young Jesuit so much that he, without hesitation, sacrificed his career as a priest, kidnapped his beloved, fled with her and got married secretly. The young people settled in the small town of Como. However, their happiness remained forever overshadowed by the stigma of shame that fell on the kidnapper and the novice who broke her vow. And the shadow of parental misconduct fell on the seven children (among whom Alessandro, or, as he was called, Sandro, Sandrino, was the fourth child). The count family of Inzaghi forever erased the name of the sinner Maddalena from their hearts and memory, for such a sin was considered indelible.

Little Sandro's parents had to give him to a nurse in the village, where he spent the first three years of his life, left to his own devices. In a peasant family, there was no one to especially look after the child, so Sandrino pronounced the word “mother” at the age of four, and began to speak normally only at the age of seven.

Those around him considered Sandro underdeveloped, and if then someone had said that he was a future great scientist, he would have been considered a great joker. But outwardly, the boy took everything in him - his beauty, liveliness of character, responsiveness, in a word, he clearly took after his parents.

After the death of Philip Volta, who left his poor wife nothing but seven children from one to seventeen years old, seven-year-old Alessandro was taken in by his paternal uncle, the cathedral canon Alexander. He began to work closely on training his not entirely developed, but quite capable nephew. As if making up for lost time, Alessandro quickly mastered the basics of Latin, history, arithmetic, as well as the rules of behavior at the table, in the family, and in communicating with strangers. In a word, a happy, thoughtless existence, as befits the scion of a noble family, was replaced by a cult of spiritual development.

The fruits of education were not long in coming. To the surprise of his relatives, Sandrino seemed to have experienced a rebirth: he revealed wit, the gift of brilliant improvisation, and an understanding of abstract ideas and the essence of scientific problems.

This was followed by years of study at the Jesuit school in the Faculty of Philosophy and at the Seminary of Santa Catarina, where Alessandro first became familiar with physics, the pursuit of which brought him great joy. By the age of eighteen, the energetic young man was already fluent in French and Latin, and had a fairly deep and solid knowledge of science and art. But the first and strongest love of his life remained physics, which Volta never changed.

When Alessandro turned twenty, his relatives declared that the time for idleness was over: the family’s situation was such that it was time to earn money on his own. And here Volta first showed his strong character. He resolutely refused to become a banker, notary, or doctor, as his family wished, opting for science, in particular his beloved physics.

Beginning in 1768, Volta worked like a man possessed. Together with his friend Giulio Cesare Gattoni, he studied theoretical treatises, made instruments and performed experiments. The first lightning rod in the city, which friends mounted on the spire of the turret of one house, became a sensation among the residents of Como. The outwardly homely Gattoni literally idolized his long, handsome friend and was a kind of Sancho Panza with him, helping in everything, serving and lending money. This strange, extremely vain man was easily irritated by any reason, had an absurd character, but in his relationship with Alessandro he was transformed, seeing him as a great researcher.

And the local residents believed in Volta’s extraordinary talents, considering him almost a sorcerer, capable of any miracles. As soon as the guy opens one of his abstruse books, they whispered, the devil himself jumps out of the pages and gives commands, and Sandro has to carry them out.

By this time, Volta had completed his first dissertation, “On the attractive force of electric fire and the phenomena caused by it,” addressed to Patrician Beccaria, professor of mathematics at the Royal University of Turin. She was appreciated, and this laudatory review gave the young scientist even more energy and ambitious hopes.

The years from 1769 to 1775 passed under the sign of old friendships, new discoveries and searches for service. Active studies were facilitated by Volta's acquaintance with Count Giovio, who supported his any endeavors both morally and financially. In October 1771, Alessandro met Giovio's neighbor, the young Countess Teresa Cicheri di Castiglione.

As a child, Teresa was a slender, smart girl, but when she grew up, she turned into a massive short woman with a large face, energetically pursed lips, a heavy straight nose and large black eyes. Her main advantages remained her intelligence and good upbringing. It was these qualities that captivated the young physicist. However, he did not intend to get married, believing that he did not yet have sufficient funds to support his family. But this did not prevent Donna Teresa from not only becoming seriously interested in the young scientist, but also captivating him with her virtues. Traveling around Europe, Alessandro certainly sent “salutes to my charming donna” from different cities, shared his impressions with her, conscientiously listing the sights of Turin, Ulzio, Chambery, Lyon, Geneva, Basel, Strasbourg.

Volta described his trips somewhat differently in letters to his brother, Archdeacon Luigi. Their delights concerned not only the sights of great cities. Thus, from Paris, a tireless traveler wrote: “Here are the best women in the world, truly femininity itself reigns here... I walk around the city, often dine in famous houses, where lovers and experts of natural history are invited.”

Indeed, the charming, talkative and highly educated Italian Volta, who, according to contemporaries, “was tall, had a regular antique face with a calm gaze, spoke clearly, simply, easily, sometimes eloquently, but always modestly and gracefully,” attracted attention for a while of all aristocratic Paris. And if earlier musicians, singers, poets, and philosophers were welcome guests at high-society salons, now physicists and chemists occupied an equally honorable place in them, among whom Alessandro rightfully occupied the first place. For example, Madame Nanteufel, whose daughter Volta gave physics lessons, asked him not for something abstract, but nothing less than to give a lecture on electricity in a small circle at a dinner party. Another socialite, Madame Bouillon, gave him “a million compliments” not only for his high scholarship, but also for his courtesy and gallantry with the ladies.

Caressed by such attention, universal admiration and veneration, Volta did not even imagine that fate would present him with an unexpected surprise. In May 1782, while in London, he received a letter from Luigi, in which his brother, among other news, reported that he had “paid six sequins for the maintenance of a woman in labor.” Alessandro immediately guessed which woman in labor he was talking about: it was Teresa, who gave birth to a son from him, who received the name Giuseppe. Then letters came with even more transparent hints: the child should be sent to be raised in one of the monasteries, fortunately there was a large selection of them.

Such a notification seriously alarmed Volta, because it threatened the loss of his son, whom he had not even seen. He did not intend to get married, but he decided to take care of Giuseppe, which he informed his brother about. He also sent a tender and touching letter to Teresa. For a while, the mistress calmed down, but then Volta received another passionate message from her, where the unhappy woman directly asked: “...marry me, Alessandro, I beg you for the sake of yourself and your son!”

Volta responded to this letter without much sentiment: “My advice to you: marry someone. I am responding to your frank letter a little harshly because I am busy with a scientific article. There is so much work on it that my head is spinning. I can hardly get married soon, because things are not important... Here in Pavia, rubella is rampant... Doctors are powerless against this disease, hospitals are overcrowded. Hello to you".

Alessandro chose a simple, but correct tactic. He talked about everything (to divert attention), about other people’s troubles (his own pain would seem less), about objective difficulties, after which Teresa’s hopes for marriage disappeared. She was forced to be content with the role of his friend, adviser and comforter.

And yet, why didn’t Volta marry Teresa Chicheri, with whom he had a long relationship and a child? The reasons for this could be different - for example, although Teresa was a countess, she was given very little dowry, and Alessandro wanted a more prosperous life. Moreover, physical attraction is not love, and Volta still dreamed of romantic passion. In addition, in those days, among intellectuals, marriage was considered “unaffordable extravagance.”

However, even earlier learned men did not want to burden themselves with marital ties. Voltaire called marriage “the only entertainment available to a coward.” For example, Galileo Galilei, the smartest man and a charming man, also never married, because he had to take care of his sisters who were expecting a dowry, a dissolute fanfare brother and a grumpy mother. And therefore, his faithful girlfriend, who bore him three children, left him after ten years of waiting for the wedding, without becoming his wife.

So Volta did the same and believed that his conscience was clear. The compassionate lover reassured Teresa, skillfully switching her interests to another matter, namely making new fabric. She coped with this task brilliantly. In December 1783, Volta proudly informed one of his friends, “that Abbot Amoretti presented to the patriotic society a sample of the original linen, and Signora Donna Teresa Ciceri, my only mistress and lover, described all the operations for making the fabric and deserved a prize!” In May 1784, Volta demonstrated the new fabric in Milan and from there he informed Teresa: “Madam, this is a godsend for Muslims and for children, and it is not for nothing that you deserve the small gold medal.”

But fabric is fabric, and marriage, although civil, required considerable trouble. Volta tried to be a caring father. At his insistence, Giuseppino's son, who was already six years old, was sent to the Calci College - a kind of orphanage. Alessandro constantly informed Teresa in letters and reports about the boy’s health, his behavior, upbringing and successes. And she, in turn, obediently fulfilled Volta’s requests, found out news for him, and introduced him to the right people. She could not take her son in: she had no money and was afraid of gossip. In the end, Teresa came to terms with the idea that the relationship between her and Alessandro remained calm and reliable.

More romantic were Volta's relationships with other women. In the spring of 1785, the young Marchioness Alexandra Botta arrived in Como. Alessandro had heard about her before - they said that she was wonderfully good, smart, charming, surrounded by brilliant fans. Seeing the young donna, Volta was immediately captivated by her beauty and grace. The Marquise also liked her new acquaintance: tall, handsome, smart, speaks so interestingly, and also a member of many academies and even a poet. In a word, the hero she saw in her dreams! And most importantly, she doesn’t look at all like the youngsters hovering around her. The marquise was sad without Volta, but shy with him. And finally, I decided to send him a letter.

Volta was flattered and almost happy. His soul became agitated, giving space to dreams and feelings. True, doubts soon came. Marry Alexandra - but he is no longer young, and there is no money. And not getting married, becoming an elderly lover until they show you the door, is shameful.

And Volta, struggling with his love passions, decided not to abuse the feelings of an inexperienced girl. His farewell letter exuded nobility and restraint: “Dear Marchesina!.. I am already too old for such a blooming creature like you. Don’t embarrass me: you are fresh, I am worn out... It is easy to understand that I am full of love and sympathy for you, but am I really fit to become the object of your inclination? You flatter my vanity, I’m not at all as brilliant as you think... Oh, how many fantasies came into my head about how life would be with you, but they all flew away as soon as I had to seriously think about them...”

Alexandra silently and proudly accepted the polite refusal. They never appeared in public together again. A year later, she left with her parents on a long trip to Holland, and Volta heard rumors that Alexandra was homesick.

Ten years later, in June 1795, news of her death came. And here Volta gave vent to his feelings. He was so shocked by this news that for some time he even believed that it was he who killed her with his refusal, that because of him Alexandra died before reaching thirty years of age, without ever finding happiness!

The break with the Marquise Botta changed little in Volta's habits. He did not think about marriage until he finally met the woman he had dreamed of all his life. The passions around the scientist's new lover were raging in earnest. And how many interested parties, for almost three and a half years, tried to persuade the actions of the lovers in every possible way! Among them were relatives, friends, bosses, colleagues, and even the Holy Roman Emperor himself!

And it all started with a letter that Alessandro received in December 1788 from an old friend of their family, Countess della Porta de Salazar. An experienced pimp wrote to him about the Roman singer Marianna Paris: “The girl is a miracle, unusually decent, very interesting, her speech is noble, well dressed and cheerful. A rarity among such people... And although they think that you can’t mess with artists, this one will be a real friend.”

The letter planted a spark of hope in Volta’s sentimental soul. He had long dreamed of romantic passion and a beautiful wife. At the first opportunity, Alessandro went to Milan, where the Roman Opera was touring, of which Marianna was a soloist, and was fascinated by her. The young singer also reacted favorably to the scientist.

And then a storm of feelings overwhelmed the romantic professor - passion, intoxication with youth and beauty, charm - and all this against the backdrop of magnificent music. In the presence of his beloved, Volta was meaningfully silent, sparkled his eyes or exploded with passionate monologues, made him laugh, and made him shed tears. In a word, love captured him completely.

Only a year later, Alessandro decided to tell his brother about his feelings: “My soul has been heavy for a long time, I care, this is between us, love that I hide even from myself. Many times I tried to tell you, but I don’t have the courage... I am struck in my heart, I am overcome by temptation... Who is she? I'm afraid to say, but she is a theater star... But before you attack the object of my adoration, remember that art is not a shame. Don't act like an inquisitor. Nothing can stain her, she’s so pure, so decent!”

The reaction of loved ones was not long in coming. Brother Luigi was categorically against it: “Overcome your weakness, do not be led by circumstances, you will lose my respect if you do not free yourself from all the promises that Paris managed to make.”

Not relying on the prudence of his weak-willed brother, Luigi turned for help to a friend of their family, Count Vilseck, and he from Milan joined in the attempts to extinguish the love fire: “...When choosing a wife, you should combine your aspirations with the opinion of your relatives,” he admonished Volta. “It seems that you should renounce your plans and assumptions regarding this bad alliance, which you probably do not need, even if it was not easy for your heart...”

In response, Volta wrote: “Yes, dear brother, I told Teresa Chicheri everything, but “this is not another entertainment,” “this is not weakness,” it will not be “like last time.” I’m completely sincere: isn’t it grief when they demand: turn away from your love!”

But gradually a cold mind begins to take precedence over love passion. And how could it be otherwise if everyone around him was against his love. Chicheri behaved delicately, but advised to obey the family. Vilseck wrote again and again and also advised him to come to his senses: “When there is some kind of inequality in marriage, this will become the cause of many dramas, so you should not lift this burden alone, but for now, however, give in to your natural passion.”

Volta seemed to listen to the arguments. And he even again took up scientific affairs, hitherto abandoned because of his love for Marianne. But a year later, namely at the end of 1790, the flame of passion flared up with renewed vigor. Alessandro once again brings the same arguments to his prudent advisers, talks about love, the purity of his betrothed, the noble origin of her family. “Where is your virtue, love, tolerance? - he calls to his brother. -Who will heal the ulcers of this world, about which everyone sympathizes? Shame on you and contempt, they have created a mess around those who want to get married in order to divorce them!.. Is love really sinful? After all, without love there can be no happiness, love has come, and you are ruining it!”

He even wrote to Teresa Chicheri, daring at the end of the letter to irritably and militantly stand up for his love against the concerted pressure of his loved ones. But who was he talking to? To a woman who herself was looking for his love and who still hoped to marry him!

Then Marianne's mother appeared on the invisible stage of the love drama. Without waiting for the wedding, she presented her daughter’s lover with an ultimatum: “If you want to continue talking about marriage, then guarantee your promises... On your behalf, the notary must announce that if you cannot get married, then before the death of your parents you undertake to take your daughter dependent."

Luigi and his supporters were triumphant: after all, they had warned that Marianna’s family only needed money from Volta. To get them, parents trade their daughter.

All this made the loving professor’s head spin. He was unable to pay the required pension, and brother Luigi did not want to take care of the expenses. Trying to break out of the vicious circle, Alessandro decides to take a desperate step - he seeks an audience with Emperor Leopold II during his stay in Milan. He verbally and in writing begs the ruler to give him a position in Milan in order to marry a Roman woman.

The court's decision was not difficult to predict. Five months later, the emperor’s note appeared on the petition: “The persistence of the petitioner cannot be satisfied.” But Volta's love turned out to be stronger than reason. He continued to stubbornly assert that “virtue will triumph... Marianne has proven the sincerity of her intentions, she surpasses me in beauty, grace, nobility... Yes, it’s a miracle that she noticed me! After all, I’m no longer young, the family house is old and doesn’t even belong to me.”

For another two years, his passionate assurances of the unchangeability of feelings and complaints about his bitter fate were heard. The remnants of hope disappeared when the unhappy lover received another letter from Paris's mother. The failed mother-in-law expressed in her hearts what had long been painful in her soul. Lamenting sanctimoniously, she reminded Volta that he was already approaching fifty, had no money, and they, poor parents, had poor health, death was approaching, and how could Marianne leave everyone with the theater, which provided income and the opportunity for entertainment.

And here Volta was forced to come to terms, although he still tried to delay the official break. He also wailed in his letters: “Oh, Paris! How happy I would be with her! Oh God, how bitter is my fate!” But by the end of 1792, Volta sadly informed Canon Petirossi that his marriage to Marianna Paris would not take place.

In the end, the relatives got tired of Alessandro’s love affairs, and they actively began searching for a suitable bride. In January 1793, the candidacy of Antonietta Giovio, sister of Volta's old friend, Count Giovio, was no longer available. It was better than Chicheri than Giovio, the capricious Volta wrote to his brother, and he angrily reprimanded that he himself, supposedly, dreamed of becoming related, was leaning first towards the older Louise, then towards the younger Antonietta, and now backing down? Finally, in November, Luigi breathed a sigh of relief, having negotiated a marriage with the family of Teresa Peregrini, the youngest daughter of the royal delegate from Como, Don Ludovico, a calm, reasonable, reasonable woman. True, the bride was already approaching thirty, but the groom was also about to celebrate his half-century anniversary.

“Well, I agree,” Volta answered his brother, “just sort out the financial affairs yourself... And as for Peregrini, I’ve already made three or four visits, and that’s enough. After all, I’ve been hanging around with suitors for two years.” And at the same time the groom complained: alas, his bride cannot be compared with Marianne!

In September 1794, Alessandro Volta married Maria Aloneso Teresa Peregrini. The relatives did their best and organized a magnificent feast for the wedding, which lasted more than one day.

And family life began. And happy. Volta, who actually did not know his father, lost his mother long ago, and his only support in life were his brothers, finally, after so many years of love victories and defeats, he found his own home. A year after the wedding, the first-born, Zanilo, appeared, then the second son, Flamingo. And Teresa gave birth to another son, who was named Luigi, in honor of her brother Alessandro.

Of course, Teresa is not Marianna, and Volta wrote letters to her differently. There were no words about love, more and more the conversation was about children, family problems and troubles, such as, for example, a theft in a Milanese house. “We arrived, everything is open,” Volta reported to his wife, returning to their house in Milan, “even the doors were removed from their hinges using a wooden ladder, which was immediately abandoned. In the room and office, the wardrobe, three pairs of sheets, tablecloths, and dishes disappeared from the bedroom. Why, there are no sheets, no bed. Not a rag, not a piece of paper, no candelabra or candles were left behind. Nothing".

In general, marriage, although later, became for Volta a natural result of the search for happiness. He dreamed about it with the same passion with which he devoted himself to science, defending the right to determine his own destiny. Moreover, despite all his personal failures, his beloved physics always served as a consolation to him. And in this area, Volta was the absolute master of the situation, relying only on intuition, common sense and firmly believing in his star. What he accomplished in science is amazing. Alessandro became famous at the age of thirty when he invented the electrophore - a device for experiments with static electricity. This was followed by another outstanding invention - an electric battery, which he called the “crown of vessels.” It consisted of many series-connected zinc and copper plates, lowered in pairs into vessels with dilute acid, and was already a fairly solid source of electrical energy.

The merits of the great scientist and inventor were appreciated not only in his homeland, but throughout the world. In France, a medal was minted in his honor, and the first consul of the Directory, General Bonaparte, founded a fund of 200,000 francs for “brilliant discoverers” in the field of electricity and awarded the first prize to the author of the Voltaic Column. Volta was awarded the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor, the Iron Cross, he became a senator and count, a member of the Paris and St. Petersburg Academies of Sciences, and a member of the Royal Society of London, which awarded him the Coplay Gold Medal. A unit of electrical voltage is named after Alessandro Volta. So when uttering phrases like “the mains voltage is 220 V” or “the battery is 1.5 V”, it is worth remembering the name of the great Italian physicist, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of electrical engineering.

Volta, having retired, spent the last years of his life in his hometown of Como. On July 28, 1823, an apoplexy (the scientist was already 78 years old) confined him to bed for a long time. He never fully recovered from the blow. The great Italian died on March 5, 1827. The Municipal Congress of Como announced that “Don Alessandro Volta, senator of the former Kingdom of Italy, member of the Italian Institute of Science, Literature and Art, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and emeritus professor of the University of Pavia, member of many European academies” had passed away. .

MAIN DATES IN THE LIFE AND ACTIVITY OF ALESSANDRO VOLTA 1745, February 18 - In Como, Padre Filippo Volta and the count's daughter Maddalena Inzaghi had a fourth son, Alessandro Joseph Anthony Anastasius. 1752 - Father died (born 1703). 1757, November - Entered the philosophy class

Priest Alessandro Canon Alessandro Amadori, brother of the late Albiera, told Leonardo about the events in Florence and family affairs. Arriving in Florence, the first thing Leonardo did was write down: “Find out if the priest Alessandro Amadori is alive.” He found out that Amadori was alive,

Italian Alessandro Volta - physicist and chemist, pioneer in the field of electricity, discoverer of methane. This remarkable scientist was idolized by his students at the University of Pavia.

Childhood

In the patriarchal family of padre (father) Filippo Volta and his wife Maddalena, daughter of Count Inzago, whom he married in secret, a fourth child was born. He was christened as Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio. It was February 18, 1745 in ancient, picturesque Lombardy. For the parents, this was not a significant event, and they quickly gave the baby to the village nurse, simply forgetting about little Sandrino. The baby grew up freely in the village of Brunate for about three years. Physically strong, healthy, lively, he spoke very poorly because no one taught him. No one could have imagined that the baby would grow into the pride of Italy - Alessandro Volta - a physicist who would advance the science of electricity.

When the boy was seven years old, his father died, and the child was taken into his home by his uncle, the canon. He was a learned man and took seriously the task of raising a child. The lively and inquisitive boy quickly began to speak and began to learn Latin, history, arithmetic, and rules of conduct. Everything was given to him with ease and without stress. Alessandro was very interested in art, especially music. He turned into a sociable and witty teenager. Alessandro was struck by the news of the earthquake in Lisbon, and he was determined to unravel the mystery of such disasters. His insatiable curiosity almost led to his death. One day he was looking at the “golden glitter” at the bottom in a deep spring, accidentally fell into the water and almost drowned. Later it turned out that pieces of mica sparkled in the sun under water.

Youth

The uncle's house, who foresaw the lively mind of his pupil, was filled with scientific books. Young Volta, a physicist by vocation, learned, while visiting his nurse’s house, to make barometers and thermometers (from her husband). The ability to work with his hands will be useful to him later in the manufacture of electrical appliances. Then his uncle gave him at the age of 12 to study philosophy with Jesuit monks. Soon the uncle noticed that they wanted to prepare his nephew for tonsure, and took him away.

Explosion of interest in natural sciences

The return of Halley's comet, as predicted by the English scientist, attracted Alessandro to the work of another English genius - Newton. The young man begins to clearly realize his calling - natural sciences: he studies the theory of gravity, tries to explain electricity. This is how the young Volta gradually grows into a physicist. Having learned that in 1752 he discovered a device that we call a lightning rod (which is not entirely accurate), the young man in 1768, striking the imagination of all the townspeople, installed it on his roof.

Job

Since the age of 29, Volta has been working at the Royal Gymnasium of Como. A year later, he improved a device that creates static electricity - the electrophorus. He then studies the chemistry of gases and manages to isolate methane. It took two years. With him, he developed an experiment - igniting methane with an electric spark in a closed vessel. Volta studied what we now call electrical capacitance, and also developed means to study electric potential (V), charge (Q), and established that for a given object they are proportional. Volta made these discoveries in physics while working in Como.

Five years later he was invited as a professor at the University of Pavia. Here he organized the department of experimental physics. Volta worked there for forty years, heading it. The physicist created one of the first versions of the electric battery based on a theory put forward by Luigi Galvani.

Galvani experimented with a frog. Her leg served as an electrolyte. Volta realized this, replaced the frog's leg with paper soaked in brine, and discovered a flow of electricity. Then he created a device - a prototype of an electric battery. It was called a “voltaic column” and consisted of two electrodes.

One was made of zinc, the other was made of copper. The electrolyte was sulfuric or hydrochloric acid mixed with water. Its battery created a steady electric current.

Recognition of merit

Currently, the unit of measurement of electrical voltage is named after him. It sounds like a volt.

A lunar crater was named after Volta in 1964.

The Italian physicist Volta became a member of the Royal Institute of the Netherlands in 1809. Napoleon was interested in his work.

For his work in physics, he awarded Alessandro Volta the title of count in 1801. Napoleon created the Volta Prize. It was awarded in the 19th century by the French Academy of Sciences for scientific achievements in the field of electric power.

His family life was also successful. Alessandro married the aristocrat Teresa Peregrini in 1794 and raised three children with her: Zanino, Flaminio and Luigi.

The physicist retired in 1819 and retired to his Kamnago estate. He died in it at the age of 83 in 1827. He is buried on his estate. This is where we can put an end to the biography of the physicist Volta. His biography is completed, but remains for centuries. We can only add that he was a deeply religious man. As he once said himself: “By the special mercy of God, I have never wavered in my faith. The gospel can only bear good fruit.”

Alessandro Volta's inventions, discoveries and scientific achievements significantly influenced the development of physics.

Alessandro Volta inventions, discoveries and scientific achievements

Alessandro Volta invented a number of electrical devices familiar to us: capacitor, electrophore, electrometer, electroscope. The scientist also created hydrogen lamp, eudiometer, gas gun(in which flammable gas exploded from an electric spark)

At the age of 30 he is already famous, he invented electrophore – a device for experiments with static electricity

The inventor called it a “permanent carrier of electricity.” Volta indicated that his device “continues to work even after three days of charging.”

Volta's electrophorus is both simple and original. It consists of two metal disks. One, say the bottom one, is covered with a layer of resin. When this layer is rubbed with a leather glove or fur, the resin becomes positively electrified and the disk becomes negatively charged. By repeating all the steps many times, you can increase the charge of the upper disk just as many times! This was the main useful property of the electrophore.

Volta's electrophore served as the basis for the construction of a whole class of induction, so-called electrophore machines. The electrophoric machine, like the electrophore, uses electrification by induction, while in the electrostatic machines used before Volta, electricity was produced by friction and in noticeably smaller quantities.

Volta is credited with introducing new concepts “electric capacity”, “electric circuit”, “electromotive force”, “potential difference”. There was also Volta's epoch-making discovery of contact electricity. It seemed to sum up all the previously achieved results. In 1800, Volta described a previously unknown source of current - his famous “Voltaic column”, which opened a new era in the history of physics.

The creation of the Voltaic Column was a revolutionary event in the science of electricity, it prepared the foundation for the emergence of modern electrical engineering and had a huge impact on the entire history of human civilization. The creation of the voltaic column ended the era of electrostatics and marked the beginning of the era of electrical engineering.

In 1801, Volta, at the request of the emperor, repeated his experiments with the pillar at a French institute, for which he received special honors and awards from Napoleon: 2000 ecus for travel expenses, as well as the title of count and the title of senator of Italy. At the same time, Napoleon established a prize of 60,000 francs for outstanding physical discoveries in the field of electricity and magnetism.

Volta was born in Como, his parents were Filippo Volta and Maddalena Inzaghi. His family was middle class. As a child, Alessandro was no smarter than his peers, and did not speak until he was four years old. But by the age of seven, he not only caught up with his peers in development, but also surpassed them in ingenuity. Volta received his primary education at the Royal Seminary in Como. His parents wanted him to be educated as a lawyer or priest, but Volta had already decided to connect his life with chemistry and physics.

Career

Volta's career in physics began with teaching the subject at the Royal Seminary of Como. For a year he studied atmospheric electricity and conducted tests in the fields of electrochemistry, electromagnetism and electrophysiology. In 1775, he invented an electric induction machine (electrophore), which produced a static electric charge. It was a device that generated electricity only from friction, and the charge could be transferred to other objects. Between 1776 and 1778, Volta studied gases and discovered the presence of methane in the natural environment, which he eventually learned to release.

In 1800, he invented the Voltaic Column, the first electric battery. The battery consisted of copper and zinc plates placed on top of each other, which were separated by cardboard spacers soaked in a saline solution, which made it possible to maintain an uninterrupted supply of electric current. Volta also developed the law of capacitance and theoretically predicted the law of bimetallic contact.

Main works

Awards and achievements

Volta was recognized as an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1791 for his innovative work in physics, especially in the invention of the electroscope.

In 1794, the Royal Society of Great Britain awarded Volta the Copley Medal for his discovery of Volta's law of the series of electronic potentials.

In 1801, Napoleon Bonaparte granted Volta the title of Count after Volta demonstrated to him the principle of operation of the battery he had invented.

Personal life and legacy

Volta married Teresa Peregrini, daughter of Count Ludovico Peregrini, in 1794. The couple had three sons.

Volta died at the age of 82 at his estate in Camnago, Italy. He was buried there, and for his outstanding services the place was renamed Camnago-Volta.

The Alessandro Volta Award is awarded for scientific achievements in the field of electricity.

During his life, Volta collaborated with many prominent figures, including the famous French physicist Jean Antoine Nollet and the Italian experimentalist Giovanni Battista.

Bern Diebner wrote a biography entitled Alessandro Volta and the Electric Battery, which was published in 1964.

Another book entitled Volta: Science and Culture in the Age of Enlightenment was written by Julian Pancaldi and published in 2005.

The image of Alessandro Volta and a sketch of the device he invented - the voltaic column - were present on the 10,000 lire banknotes in Italy.

Volta is also considered the father of the electric car.