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Nikola TeslaPage 1 of 15
-- Nikola Tesla --
la
 
Nikola Tesla
 
 
Nikola TeslaPage 2 of 15
Nikola Tesla 
Nikola Tesla
(July 10,1856-January 7,1943) (Baptism name:
Николай
; Nikolaj) was aSerbian-Americaninventor and electrical engineer. Tesla's most famous contribution was the theory of polyphase alternating current electricity, which he used to build the firstinduction motor, invented in1882, as well as developing the designs of numerous otherelectrical machines and related technology. His theory and many of hispatents form thebasis for the modern electric power system. Tesla is also noted for inventing theTesla coil and a bladelessturbine(which functions on the principles of fluid viscosity and theboundary layer effect). Tesla's contributions to the modern world are widely regarded asmore important and long-lasting than those of his nemesis, one-time employer,ThomasEdison.
Life magazine
, in a special double issue, listed Tesla in the "
100 Most ImportantPeople in the Last 1000Years
". He occupied the 57th position, citing him as "[one of] themost farsighted inventors of the electrical age". They state his work on the rotatingmagnetic field and alternating currents helped electrify the world.http://www.teslasociety.com/lifemag2.jpgThe scientific compound derivedSIunit measuring magnetic flux density or magnetic induction (commonly known as the magneticfield
B
), the tesla, was named in his honor (at the
Conference general des poids etmesures
,Paris,1960).
Biography
Early years
Tesla was born "at the stroke of midnight" with lightning striking during a summer storm.He was born inCroatiain theAustro-HungarianEmpire. The midwife commented, "He'll be a child of the storm," to which his mother replied, "No, of light." Tesla was baptized in theOld Slavonic Church rite. His Baptism Certificate reports that he was born on June 28(Julian calendar), and christened by the Serbian priest, Toma Oklobdžija. HisSerbfather, ReverendMilutin Tesla, was a priest in theOrthodox Metropolitanate of Karlovciwhich gathered to Serbs of the "Greek-rite" as they were legally referred to in Austria-Hungary atthe time. His mother,Djuka Mandic, from a prominentSerbiafamily of the Banija, made craft tools. He was one of five children, having one brother and three sisters. Hisgodfather, Jovan Drenovac, was a Captain in theKrajinaarmy. His family moved to Gospicin1862. Tesla studied in Karlovac, present day Croatia, then studied electrical engineeringat the Austria Politechnic inGraz,Austria(1875). While there, he studied the uses of alternating current. He also developed a telephone repeater (or amplifier). In1881hemoved toBudapestto work for the telegraph company, American Telephone Company. Fora while he stayed inMaribor, Slovenia. He was employed at his first job as an assistantengineer. Tesla suffered a nervous breakdown during this time. In1882he moved toParis, France, to work as an engineer for the Continental Edison Company. He worked designingimprovements to electric equipment. In the same year, Tesla conceived of the inductionmotor and began developing various devices that use rotating magnetic fields (for which he
 
Nikola TeslaPage 3 of 15
received patents in1888). Tesla visualized the rotating fields and thereby designed theinduction motor. Tesla hastened from Paris to his mother's side as she lay dying, arrivinghours before her death in 1882. Her last words were to him were, "You've arrived, Nidzo,my pride." After her death, Tesla fell ill. He spent two to three weeks recuperating inGospic and Tomingaj. All his life, Tesla kept a home-spun embroidered travel bag from hismother.
Middle years
In1884, leaving the warfare of his birthplace behind, Tesla moved to the United States ofAmerica to accept a job with the Edison Company in New York City. He arrived in the USwith 4 cents to his name, a book of poetry, and a letter of recommendation (from CharlesBatchelor, his manager in his previous job).
Early employment
Tesla worked forThomas Edisonfor a time. Edison offered him $50,000 for improvementsin Edison’s DC dynamos. Tesla worked nearly a year to redesign the inferior construction.Upon returning to Edison and inquiring about the $50,000, Edison replied, "Tesla, you don’tunderstand our American humor." Tesla resigned. In1886, Tesla formed his own company,
Tesla Electric Light & Manufacturing
. The initial financial investors disagreed with Tesla onhis plan for an alternating current motor and eventually relieved Tesla of his duties at thecompany. Tesla was unemployed for a time. Tesla worked on a New York street gang, as alaborer, from1886to1887to raise capital to eat and for his next project. In1887, he constructed the initial brushless alternate-current induction motor. He demonstrated thebrushless two-phase one-fifth horsepower induction motor to the
American Institute ofElectrical Engineers
in1888. Also in 1888, he developed the principles of hisTesla coil. In the same period, he began working withWestinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghouse'sPittsburgh, Pennsylvania labs. Westinghouse listened to Tesla 's ideas for polyphasesystems. These systems would allow alternating current [AC] electricity to be transmittedover large distances.
X-rays and friendships
InApril 1887, Tesla began investigating what would later be calledX-rays using his own devices as well asCrookes tubes. He did this by experimenting with high voltages andvacuum tubes. His technical publications indicate that he invented and developed a specialsingle-electrode X-ray tube. Tesla's tubes differed from other X-ray tubes in that they hadno target electrode. He stated these facts in his1897X-ray lecture before the New YorkAcademy of Sciences. The modern term for this is the bremsstrahlung process, in which ahigh-energy secondary X-ray emission is produced when charged particles (such aselectrons) pass through matter. Around1889, Tesla became a USA citizen. When he was 36years old, the first patents concerning the polyphase power system were granted. Hecontinued researching rotating magnetic field principles and polyphase power distribution.In1891, Tesla established his Houston Street laboratory in New York. He lit vacuum tubeswirelessly in the lab, providing evidence for the potential of wireless power transmission.Around this time, Tesla developed a close and lasting friendship with author and humorist
of 00

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evelyn-wysoudil-9288

hi, here is more info on N. Tesla smiles mum

reply11 / 18 / 2009
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