Thomas Alva Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was one of the greatest inventors. He was a
smart man. Thomas invented many things such as the light bulb and
phonograph. Without the light bulb we would still be using candles and
lanterns like they did many years ago. Although Thomas was deaf he
worked hard and never gave up.
Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan,
Ohio. He had many family members. He had a father named Samuel
Odgen Edison and a mother named Nancy Elliott Edison. Thomas’
mother pulled him from school because Thomas’ teacher called him a
“retard.” Nancy Edison taught her son at home. Thomas has six siblings
and he was the youngest child in the Edison family. Thomas was
interested in many things as a child. At age twelve Thomas got a job at
the Grand Trunk Railroad. While working at Grand Trunk Railroad
Thomas was a typesetter, press operator, editor, and publisher of his very
own newspaper called the “Herald.” Thomas got his news for his
newspaper from telegraphers at other train stations. Thomas liked many
things, but mathematics was not one of them. He enjoyed reading books
about science and philosophy. His favorite book ever was Isaac
Newtown’s Principia Mathematica. Thomas was interested in inventing
the light bulb. Thomas was a scientist as a kid. He like to test many
The Essay on Thomas Edison and the Invention of the Light Bulb
There have been many awesome inventors with inventions still being used in our everyday lives. To choose the greatest invention or discovery of all time would be next to impossible. With all the technology today, all inventions seem as if we could not live without them. Thomas Edison’s light bulb has been one of the biggest impacts on society even to this day. Thomas wanted to replace the ...
things. When he was young he built a laboratory in the
family’s basement. Thomas did experiments he found in science books
and got jars and chemicals for experiments from local shopkeepers.
Thomas also used a spare train car for another laboratory.
Thomas studied books on mechanics, manufacturing, and
chemistry at the public library. He spent a long time studying
Newtown’s Principles. He also read lots of books such as Gibbon’s
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Hume’s History of England,
Sear’s History of the World, Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy,
and The Dictoinaries of Sciences.
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. In October of 1879 Edison
patented his incandescent lamp. Edison and his team made a new
vacuum pump to make better vacuums in glass light bulbs. It was better
known as the “glow bulb.” Thomas’ second attempt at the glow bulb
successfully lit for forty hours. On New Year’s Eve Edison lit up Menlo
Park with thirty glow bulbs. Electricity would replace gas for lighting
purposes. The light bulb gives off light so that we can see with out
lanterns and candles. The Edison Lamp Company produced 1,000 light
bulbs a day.
It has improved since it’s original version. In 1880, Edison
invented the incandescent lamp. In the year 1910, Tungsten filament
was discovered giving off white light instead of yellow light. In 1925,
lamps were given an inside frosting that had a fine spray of hydrofluoric
acid. In the late 19th century, florescent lamps were invented. They
are tubes filled with low-pressure neon gas.
Thomas Edison invented many things we still used today. I think
the light bulb was the greatest invention because it is hard to see with out
light bulbs. Without the light bulb we would not be able to have night
ball games or light shows. It is a good thing Thomas Edison invented the
light bulb.
Bibliography
1. “Edison, Thomas.” Compton’s Encylopedia. 1990 ed. vol. 7, p.72-76
2. Ellis, Keith. Thomas Edison, Genius of Electricity. Great Britain:
The Essay on Light Bulb
When it is dark in your room what is the first thing that comes to mind? Turn on the light. Well that wasn’t the case before the light bulb was invented. People would have to go light a candle and sit close to it to be able to see. But thanks to Thomas Edison this is possible. The inventor of the light bulb was Thomas Alva Edison. He was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan Ohio. He was a great ...
Priory Press Limited, 1974
3. Parker, Steve. Thomas Edison and Electricity. Great Britain: Belitha
Press Limited, 1992
