Braingle: 'Electrical History, Part 1: The 1800s' Trivia Quiz

Electrical History, Part 1: The 1800s

Test your knowledge of electricity and the major discoveries in the 1800s.

Quiz ID:	#22753
Fun:	(2.7)
Difficulty:	(1.08)
Category:	Science > Physics
Created By:	Paladin

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#1 In 1660, inventor Otto von Guericke invented the first known machine to produce electricity. What type of basic electricity did his machine produce?

AC
DC
Static
Other

#2 In 1733, Charles Francois du Fay discovered two forms of electricity which he called resinous and vitreous. Benjamin Franklin (among others) renamed these two forms as we know them today. What were these new, more widely accepted names?

Positive and negative
AC and DC
Static and electromagnetic
Other

#3 In 1752, Benjamin Franklin discovered a common, natural occurrence of electricity. What was this natural phenomena?

Tornado
Lightning
Northern lights
Other

#4 In 1800, Alessandro Volta proved that electricity could travel over wires, and invented the first portable carrier of electricity. His invention became something we still use widely today. What did Volta invent?

The electric generator
The electric motor
The electric bucket
Other

#5 In 1820, Oersted observed the effects of electricity on a compass, and Ampere passed current through a coil of wire. What natural force did these scientists tie to electricity through their discoveries?

Gravity
Ionic charge
Magnetism
Other

#6 In 1879, the first demonstration of the incandescent lamp was performed in Menlo Park, New Jersey. Who invented the lamp and performed this demonstration?

Thomas Edison
Benjamin Franklin
Albert Einstein
Other

#7 In the late 1800s, it was discovered that electricity could be generated by using the same mechanical energy source that had been used to grind grains in mills for centuries! What was this abundant, natural source of kinetic energy?

The sun
Pack animals
Flowing water
Other

#8 In 1884, Charles Parsons created a device that used boiled water to create electricity. This method of creating electricity is still in use, but what is this device most commonly called today?

Steam engine
Steam turbine
Steam iron
Other

#9 In 1888, Nikola Tesla is credited with developing a new method to distribute electricity that competed with Edison's direct current. What was the term used, that is still in use today, for this?

Alternating current
Amped current
Accessory current
Other

#10 In 1897, J.J. Thomson discovered the particle that makes electricity possible. What is this particle called?

Proton
Neutron
Electron
Other

Comments

dswilborn

posted 101 days ago

I learned some stuff! 7/10

DewlannaSolo

posted 100 days ago

10/10
I remembered some stuff
Great quiz, nicely worded questions with really great explanations with the answers

joemud

posted 91 days ago

8/10 Not bad for it being more than 20 years since I studied this stuff. Should have read the answers and questions better.

MarcM1098

posted 77 days ago

BQE - very informative and well written!

Paladin

posted 77 days ago

Thank you all for the awesome comments!

dalfamnest

posted 47 days ago

I'm also pleased with my '8' right. This is a great quiz - with a few that can be guessed intelligently and a few to learn from and some to ensure that no one gets '0'. Thanks for the clear explanations.

blackeve5

posted 44 days ago

8/10 and I agree that is was well written and informative!

chosenfew

posted 1 day ago

8 correct out of 10!
Although I am a Master Electrician by trade, I know only some things about its earlier history.
Good quiz!
Learned a few things!