ALSOLISTEDIN

Physicists

NATIONALITY
Italian

FamousItalianMen
RELIGION
Christian

BORNON
18February1745AD

BIRTHDAY
18thFebruary
Famous18thFebruaryBirthdays

DIEDATAGE
82

SUNSIGN
Aquarius
AquariusMen

BORNIN
Como,DuchyofMilan,Italy

DIEDON
05March1827AD

PLACEOFDEATH
Como,LombardyVenetia,Italy

SPOUSE:
TeresaPeregrini

CHILDREN
Giovanni,Flaminio,Zanino

DISCOVERIES / INVENTIONS

Battery, Methane, Voltaic Pile, Voltage
ElectrochemicalSeries


Known for his extraordinary work in the field of electricity, Volta inventedthevoltaic
pile, which became the worldsfirstelectricbatterythisinventionofhisusheredinthe
age of electricity. He made several discoveries in meteorology, pneumatics and
electrostatics that earned him recognition and fame throughout the world. The unit of
electromotive force called as a volt, has been named in his honor. His research in
varied fields of science paved the way and inspired numerous future innovators, who
based on this principals developed new path breaking technologies. Voltas career as
physicist is studded with several achievements, such as the discovery of methane gas,
as a result of his chemistry experiments. He did not stop here but also developed a
special glass container, which could contain explosion of several gases. Most scholars
believe that after Galileo,whoprecededVoltabyaroundcenturyandahalf,hebrought
about the next big scientific revival in Italy. Asasociety,todayweoweagreatdebtof
gratitude towards Volta, as his invention battery has and still is playingasignificant
roleinmodernizingourworld.

Volta was born in Como his parents, Filippo Volta and Maria Maddalena Inzaghi,
belongedtomiddleclassbackground.

As a child, he did not display much intelligence and did not start speaking until he was 4
years old. Bythetimeheturnedseven,henotonlyreachedatparwithotherchildrenbutalso
overtooktheminastuteness.

He received his early education at the RoyalSeminaryinComo.Hisparentswanted himto

take up law or priesthood as a career but he had already made up his mind to pursue
chemistryandphysics

Volta began his career in the field of physics, in 1774 by teachingthesubject,attheRoyal

School of Como. During the year, he studied atmospheric electricity and conducted
experimentsinfieldsofelectrochemistry,electromagnetismandelectrophysiology.

 He pioneered the electrophorus in 1775, a device that produced static electric charge. This
was a device that could be charged with electricity only by rubbing andthischarge couldbe
transferredtootherobjects.

Between 1776 and 1778, Voltaworkedintherealmofgasesanddiscoveredmethanegasin

naturalenvironment,whichhewasabletoisolatebytheendofthisperiod.

In 1800, he invented voltaic pilethe first electric battery. This battery was actuallyapile
of alternating discs of copper and zinc, separated by piecesofcardboardsoakedinbrinethat
hadtheabilitytomaintainsteadyelectriccurrent.

HealsodevelopedtheLawofCapacitanceandtheorizedthelawofbimetalliccontact.

One of the major published works of this ingenious scientist was De vi attractiva ignis
electrici (1769) it was based on his extensive research on attractive force presentinthe
electricfire.

Volta was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1791, for his ground
breakingworkinphysics,especiallydevelopmentofelectroscope.

In 1794, he was awarded the Copley Medal, by the Royal Society of London, for
developmentofVolta'sLawoftheelectrochemicalseries.

In 1801, he was honored with the title of Count by Napoleon Bonaparte after he
demonstratedthefunctionalityofhisbatterytohim.

 He married TeresaPeregrini,thedaughterofCountLudovicoPeregrini,in1794andthe
couplehadthreesons.

He passed away on his estate in Camnago, Italy at the age of 82. His remains were
interredthereandtohonorthisgenius,theplacewasrenamedasCamnagoVolta.
As a tribute to Count Alessandro Volta, the Volta Prize is awarded to anyone with
scientificachievementinelectricity.

He worked with many great personalities during his lifetime, including wellknown
Frenchphysicist,AbbeAntoineNolletandItalianexperimenter,GiovanniBattista.

Based on his life and observations Bern, Dibner wrote Alessandro Volta and the
ElectricBattery,whichwaspublishedin1964.

Another book called Volta: Science and Culture in the Age of Enlightenment was
writtenbyGiulianoPancaldiandpublishedin2005.

His image was imprinted on the Italian 10,000 lira note, accompanied by a sketch of
hisfamousinvention,thevoltaicpile.
Heisalsoregardedasthefatheroftheelectricautomobile
.
In order to honor this extraordinary personality, in 2003, Toyota named a hybrid
electric engine as Toyota Volta and later in 2011, Chevrolet also honored this
prodigiousscientist

Hisfellowscientistsnamedtheunitofelectromotiveforceinhishonor.

The bevatron is a particular type of atomsmasher, the v in the term stands forthis
personalitysname

Photovoltaic system that converts light energy into electricity is named after this
Italianscientist