12 Questions
Who were the two key players in the dispute over energy transmission systems in the US?
Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla
What type of current did Thomas Edison advocate for during the war of the currents?
Direct current
What education background did Nikola Tesla have compared to Thomas Edison?
University education
How did Edison demonstrate the danger of alternating current?
By electrocuting large animals
Which energy transmission system ultimately won out and is used in all cities today?
Alternating current
Which company did Nikola Tesla initially work for before founding his own company?
General Electric
What was the main dispute between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla during the war of the currents?
Introduction of different energy transmission systems
How did Edison attempt to discredit Tesla's alternating current system?
By demonstrating its alleged danger through electrocution experiments
What was a significant difference between Edison and Tesla's educational backgrounds?
Tesla was self-taught and had no formal education
Why did Edison's direct current system face a challenge in terms of transport costs?
It was expensive to transport over long distances
What method did Tesla use to demonstrate the safety of his alternating current system?
Subjecting himself to the current
Which company did Nikola Tesla work for after leaving Edison's employment?
Westinghouse Electric
Study Notes
- War between currents was a series of events surrounding a dispute over the introduction of two different energy transmission systems in the US towards the end of the 19th century.
- Key players in the dispute were Thomas Alva Edison, an inventor and businessman, and Nikola Tesla, an ingenious engineer.
- Edison dropped out of school and was self-taught, while Tesla had a university education where he studied mathematics, physics, and mechanics.
- Edison established his own company, General Electric, Tesla initially worked for Edison and then founded his own company, later working for Westinghouse Electric.
- During the war of the currents, Edison advocated for direct current, while Tesla promoted alternating current.
- Edison's system was expensive to transport, while Tesla's was denigrated by his rival as being unsafe.
- Edison demonstrated the alleged danger of alternating current by electrocuting large animals using the current he supported, but Tesla proved the safety of his system by being subjected to it himself.
- Direct current is still in use today for various applications, but Tesla's system ultimately won out and is used in all cities today.
- Both companies started commercializing systems of alternating current in Pueblo and other places.
Explore the conflict between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla over the adoption of direct current and alternating current systems in the US during the late 19th century. Learn about their backgrounds, the companies they founded, and the advancements they made in electrical engineering.
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