ELECTRICITY
Introduction-discovery-million myriad uses-help in keeping our environment clean- improvement in different sectors-from where it is got -conclusion.
Electricity is the heartbeat of science. It is credited as the basic source of all the marvels of science. Without it all the discoveries of science will remain useless.
Electricity is the elixir of human civilization. Human civilization has achieved its colossal dimension with the blessings of electricity. Electricity has made life convenient and comfortable.
In his day to day life man makes a massive use of electricity to his own advantage. It has helped man remarkably in trade, industry recreation,education, administration and other activities of life.
The discovery of electricity dates back to the eighteenth century. Dr. Gilbert discovered the nature of this energy and christened it as electricity. Benjamin Franklin discovered that clouds contain an inexhaustible source of electricity. In 1800, Volta ínvented the first chemical battery for producing electricity. In 1833 Michael Faraday came with his magneto-electric generator. In 1879, use of electricity was revolutionized with the invention of the electric bulb by Thomas Alva Edison.
Michael Faraday, ‘the inventor of the method of generating electricity, will stand bewildered looking at the million myriad uses of this magic power. From cradle to grave electricity governs our life. Whether at home, on the road, in the office or in school, in a hospital or in a theatre, in a park or in a cremation ground everywhere we are at the mercy of electricity. We use electric power to pump water, to cook food, to sweep houses, to wash clothes, and store food. Refrigerator oven. Fan, bulb, television, Washing machine, grinder, vacuum cleaner, water purifier, water pump, DVD player and so many household water purifier appliances will be useless toys without electricity.
Electricity has replaced steam and diesel engines and has helped us to keep our environment clean and pure. Industries cannot run without electricity and without industries we cannot think of a civilization. Trains and trams driven by electricity are cost efficient and they run fast.
In the field of agriculture use of electricity has enabled our farmers to increase their produce. With the help of electric-pumps they use groundwater for cultivation when the monsoon fails. Cold storages are there to store perishable vegetables. Storage facilities enable farmers to demand fairprice for their produce. Such cold- storages are run by electric power.
This age is an age of Information Technology and computers. Computers cannot run without electric power. Electric power is used to operate many vital equipment and machines in hospitals such as X-ray, ultrasound, scanning, imaging, etc.
We derive electricity from three sources. We get it by running dynamos by the power of water. Electricity generated from the power of water is known as hydro-electricity. To get hydro-electricity we have constructed various dams such as Hirakud dam. We can derive electric power by running dynamos by steam power. We get steam by boiling water with coal. Electricity generated in this way is called thermal power. Construction of such power prôjects requires investment in terms of crores and billions. Today we are also using atomic reactors to get electric power. Atomic reactors provide uninterrupted supply of electricity.
Electricity has its disadvantages. Carelessness with it means death. But its advantages outweigh its disadvantages. What to speak of industries and trams, can we think of our life without an electric bulb or electric fan ? Certainly not. Even a power cut for an hour irritates us. Electricity. is a boon to man. It helps us to lead a Comfortable life. We mustn’t misuse it.