NIKOLA TESLA

BIOGRAPHY  Born on July 10, 1856 in Smiljan, Croatia  Attended the Higher Real Gymnasium school  Finished the 4 year program in 3 years  In 1873 he contracted cholera  In 1875 Tesla enrolled at Austrian Polytechnic in Graz, Austria  Later went on to work with Thomas Edison and the Continental Edison Company designing and improving electrical equipment  Died on January 7, 1943 in New York, USA

CONTRIBUTIONS  Fluorescent Light bulbs  Radio  Remote Control  Robotics  Lasers  Wireless Communications  Alternating Current

ALTERNATING CURRENT  Current that constantly flows back and forth  Most commonly found in our homes  Modern AC supply system was developed by Tesla  The first AC induction motor was patented by Tesla

RIVALRY WITH EDISON  Started with Tesla insisting he could improve Edison’s inefficient motors and generators  Edison bet Tesla $ to do it  Tesla came back a few months later with alternating current  He quit the Continental Edison Company and started his own company; The Tesla Electric Light Company  He would develop patents for AC generators, wires, transformers, lights and motors.

MODERN DAY EFFECTS  Alternating current is used to power our homes, schools and offices  Radio waves are used all over the world to communicate with one another  Developed fluorescent light bulbs which are more efficient than incandescent bulbs  Contributed to the design of modern day X-ray machines used in hospitals all over the world

THE TESLA COIL  Invented in 1891  Used to produce high voltage, low alternating current  Tesla used them to conduct innovative experiments in concepts such as phosphorescence and lighting