The Voltaic Pile was invented by Alessandro Volta in 1800. Volta demonstrated that when metals and chemicals come into contact with each other they can produce an electrical current. In his research, Volta placed together several pairs of alternating copper (or silver) and zinc discs separated by cloth and soaked the cloth in brine (salt water) to increase conductivity. An electrical current was produced in this fashion and was the first chemical battery. On March 20, 1800, Volta wrote to the London Royal Society the technique for producing electrical effect via his piles.

William Nicholson and Anthony Carlisle discovered electrolysis of water with the voltaic pile. Humphry Davy showed electricity from voltaic piles were caused by the chemical reaction (not differentials between metals theretofore believe). William Hyde Wollaston showed that electricy from voltaic piles was identical to electricity produced by friction. Davy also used the voltaic pile to decompose and discover materials.

See also

• Volt
• Luigi Galvani
• Battery (electricity)
• Galvanic cell
• Discoveries of the chemical elements

External links and references

• Dibner, Bern, "The Voltaic Pile". Alessandro Volta and the Electric Battery. Franklin Watts, Inc., 1964.
• "Volta's Electrical Battery Invention, 1799". IEEE Milestones, IEEE History Center.
• "The invention of the Battery". Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship.
• "The Voltaic Pile". Electricity. Kenyon.edu.
• "A Voltaic Pile (c. 1800)". Professor Taylor's Ohm Page Featuring Grade Sheets & Less Important Matters.
• Lewis, Nancy D., "Alesandro Volta The Voltaic Pile".
• Lewis, Nancy D., "Humphry Davy Electrochemistry".
• "Battery Chemistry: Voltaic Pile. How Batteries Work. HowStuffWorks, Inc. 2004.
• "The voltaic pile". SCICON 2002.