MICHAEL FARADAY

           Michael Faraday is one of the great scientists in the histo­ry of man’s work in electricity. He was born in a small village near London on September 11, 1791, in a poor family. His fa­mily lived from hand to mouth. At the age of thirteen Michael went to work in a bookbinder’s shop, because he didn’t have much schooling. Some of the scientific works and articles which passed through his hands aroused his interest in sci­ence and he started to read.

            Some time later Michael became a pupil of great scientist of that time, Sir Humphry Davy. The boy accompanied Davy in his trips to Europe. The educational value of such trips was great. Among great men of science Faraday met Ampere, who had al­ready made a name for himself in the history of electricity.

           Today almost all the electricity we use is generated by great machines with magnets in them, but in those days no one knew how to do it. That’s why the English scientist danced with de­light on his table when he got what he wanted by moving the magnet near wire. This was a great moment in the history of man’s electrical experiments. But Faraday didn’t stop at this.

            Faraday’s scientific interests were varied. He made new kind of glass and a new kind of steel. Faraday made about two thousand difficult experiments and made countless discove­ries in chemistry and physics. He made a wonderful machine which was the father of all the great machines that make elec­tricity today. They light and heat our houses and they make our radio-sets work. Michael Faraday was the creator of the electric motor, who ushered us in the electrical age which had changed the face of the earth.

QUESTIONS:

1. Who is the creator of the electric motor?

2. Why did Michael have to work in a bookbinder’s shop?

3. Was he a pupil of Humphry Davy or Ampere?

4. What was the greatest discovery of Faraday?

5. Faraday made about two thousand difficult experiments, didn’t he?

VOCABULARY:

to live from hand to mouth — жить впроголодь

to arouse — возбуждать, пробуждать

bookbinder — переплетчик

value — ценность

creator — создатель

to usher — вводить