Faraday constructs an early dynamo at the Royal Institution

Background. Michael Faraday was an English chemist and physicist who contributed vastly to the study of electrochemistry and electromagnetism. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and electrolysis. Although he received little formal education, he was one of the most influential scientists in history. He became Director of the Laboratory of the Royal Institution in 1825.

Research Context. In the 19th century, Faraday at the Royal Institution carried out much of the research which laid the groundwork for the practical exploitation of electricity. The electric generator was devised at the Institution. Faraday founded the Royal Institution's Friday Evening Discourses in 1825, where lecturers presented their latest research to members.

Legacy and Terminology. Faraday would later use the principles he had discovered to construct the electric dynamo, the ancestor of modern power generators and the electric motor. The word 'dynamo' was coined in 1831 by Michael Faraday, who utilized his invention toward making many discoveries in electricity and magnetism.