10 Inventions That Make Nikola Tesla One Of The Greatest Scientists Of All Time
Short Bytes: Nikola Tesla, who is regarded as of the greatest scientists of all times, has gifted the world in every possible way in terms of electricity, light, radio, transmitter and even x-rays. He has made more than 700 inventions and had over 100 patents in his lifetime.
Take a quick look at some of this greatest inventions:
1. Alternating Current:
Alternating current wasn’t invested by Tesla. However, his outstanding contribution in making its usage simple shall always make it one of his greatest inventions. Tesla, who worked for Edison at that time pointed out the flaws and inefficiency of Edison’s direct current electrical powerhouses.
DC current flows continuously in a direction, where as alternating current be stepped up to very high voltage levels as it changes its direction 50-60 times per second, thus minimizing power loss across great distances. Even after the much bitterness between Edison and Tesla regarding the AC vs DC war, ultimately, Nikola Tesla developed polyphase alternating current system of generators, motors and transformers and held 40 basic U.S. Patents on the system. This was bought by George Westinghouse, which marked the nationwide and thereafter, worldwide usage of electricity.
2. The Tesla Turbine:
In the early 20th century, which was primarily the era of piston engine in automobiles, Tesla invented his own engine in turbine style, which was bladeless and used made use of smooth discs that spun in a chamber. The fuel efficiency of his engine was 60% (which was a great achievement at that time as the current fuel efficiency level we are at is 42%).
3. The Tesla Coil
The Tesla Coil is another of his greatest inventions. It is a high-frequency air-core transformer which takes the output from a 120vAC to several kilovolt transformers & driver circuit and steps it up to an extremely high voltage (above 1,000,000 volts) and are discharged in the form of electrical arcs. Tesla coils create extremely powerful electrical fields, which define their uniqueness.
4. & 5. Radio And Remote Control
Tesla patented a radio controlled robot-boat which was used to control radio waves in the Electrical Exhibition in 1898. Tesla’s robot-boat was constructed with an antenna, transmitted the radio waves which were again received by coherer.
This transmitted the radio waves into mechanical movements of the propellers on the boat. Thus, the boat directions could be manually operated.
6. Magnifying Transmitter
Tesla built the largest and most powerful Tesla Coil, called The Magnifying Transmitter. This had three coils and was 52 feet in diameter. What made it the biggest lightning at that time was the fact that it generated electricity of the order of millions of volts and shot lightning bolts (approximately 130 feet long).
7. Neon Lamp
Tesla created the first neon signs at the World’s Fair by taking glass tubes and bending them into famous scientists’ names, in effect creating the first neon signs. Also, he converted black light into visible light using a phosphorescent substance (which was created by him).
8. Shadowgraph
Tesla obtained images of a human body which he called shadowgraph. Also, Tesla experimented with reflected x-rays and described features of transmitted and reflected rays.
Besides, explaining changes in x-ray characteristics as being caused by variations in x-ray tubes and electrical generators, Tesla also realized the biological hazards of working with unipolar x-ray tubes.
9. Adams Power Plant Transformer House
Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse built the first hydro-electric power plant in Niagara Falls 1895, thereby ensuring the beginning of electrification of the world.
10. Induction Motor
Nikola Tesla invented the induction motor with rotating magnetic field that made unit drives for machines feasible. What’s more is that he made AC power transmission an economic necessity.
Despite being a genius, Tesla was not wealthy, some of his inventions never got recognized. What are your views on it? Tell us in the comments below.
Also read: 6 Incredible Predictions Of Nikola Tesla
