Electrical engineering
In 1820, Hans Christian Ørsted discovered that an electric current produces a magnetic field capable of deflecting a compass needle. This single observation linked electricity and magnetism in a way that had never been seen before. William Gilbert established the term "electricity" centuries earlier by distinguishing it from static charge. He designed the versorium to detect statically charged objects. By 1762, Johan Wilcke invented the electrophorus device which produced a static electric charge. Alessandro Volta developed the voltaic pile around 1800 as a forerunner of the modern battery. These early experiments laid the groundwork for a profession that would emerge later.
The first large-scale electric power network switched on in 1882. Thomas Edison provided 110 volts direct current to 59 customers on Manhattan Island. Georges-Louis Le Sage presented what may have been the world's first form of electric telegraphy in 1782 using twenty-four wires. Francisco Salva Campillo proposed an electrostatic telegraph system in 1795 and worked on electrical telegraphy between 1803 and 1804. Francis Ronalds created an electric telegraph system in 1816 and documented his vision of how the world could be transformed by electricity.
In 1882, the Technische Universität Darmstadt founded the world's first department of electrical engineering. They introduced the first-degree course in 1883. Cornell University produced the world's first electrical engineering graduates in 1885. Andrew Dickson White established the first Department of Electrical Engineering in the United States at Cornell in about 1885. University College London founded the first chair of electrical engineering in Great Britain in the same year. Professor Mendell P. Weinbach established the electrical engineering department at the University of Missouri in 1886.
Sir Charles Parsons invented the steam turbine in 1884 allowing for more efficient electric power generation. Alternating current developed rapidly in the 1880s and 1890s with transformer designs by Károly Zipernowsky, Ottó Bláthy and Miksa Déri. These transformers became known as ZBD transformers after their inventors. Lucien Gaulard and John Dixon Gibbs also contributed to transformer development. William Stanley Jr designed practical AC motor systems including induction motors independently invented by Galileo Ferraris and Nikola Tesla.
Charles Steinmetz and Oliver Heaviside contributed to the theoretical basis of alternating current engineering. The spread in the use of AC set off what has been called the war of the currents between a George Westinghouse backed AC system and a Thomas Edison backed DC power system. AC was eventually adopted as the overall standard. This conflict shaped how electricity would be generated and distributed globally.
In 1893, an international conference in Chicago achieved the standardization of units including volt, ampere, coulomb, ohm, farad, and henry. These definitions were immediately recognized in relevant legislation in many countries. Practical applications and advances created an increasing need for standardized units of measure. The publication of these standards formed the basis of future advances in standardization across various industries.
The first working transistor was a point-contact transistor invented by John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain while working under William Shockley at Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1947. They then invented the bipolar junction transistor in 1948. Early junction transistors were relatively bulky devices that were difficult to manufacture on a mass-production basis. Robert von Lieben and Lee De Forest independently developed the amplifier tube called the triode two years after Fleming's diode invention in 1904.
Karl Ferdinand Braun introduced the cathode-ray tube as part of an oscilloscope in 1897. In 1920, Albert Hull developed the magnetron which eventually led to the development of the microwave oven in 1946 by Percy Spencer. The British military began making strides toward radar under Dr Wimperis in 1934, culminating in the operation of the first radar station at Bawdsey in August 1936.
Konrad Zuse presented the Z3 computer in 1941 using electromechanical parts. Tommy Flowers designed and built the Colossus in 1943 as the world's first fully functional electronic digital programmable computer. The ENIAC followed in 1946 beginning the computing era. John Presper Eckert and John Mauchly created this machine whose arithmetic performance allowed engineers to develop completely new technologies.
Power engineering deals with generation transmission and distribution of electricity as well as design of related devices including transformers electric generators and electric motors. Governments maintain electrical networks called power grids that connect various generators together with users of their energy. Users purchase electrical energy from the grid avoiding costly exercise of having to generate their own. Power engineers may work on design and maintenance of power grids as well as systems connecting to it.
Telecommunications engineering focuses on transmission of information across communication channels such as coax cable optical fiber or free space. Transmissions across free space require information to be encoded in a carrier signal to shift information to carrier frequency suitable for transmission known as modulation. Popular analog modulation techniques include amplitude modulation and frequency modulation. Telecommunication engineers design transmitters and receivers needed for such systems sometimes combined into two-way communication devices called transceivers.
Control engineering focuses on modeling diverse range of dynamic systems and designing controllers causing these systems to behave in desired manner. Electronics control engineers use electronic circuits digital signal processors microcontrollers and programmable logic controllers implementing such controllers. Control theory determines how system responds to regular feedback where vehicle speed is continuously monitored and fed back to adjust motor's power output accordingly.
Electrical engineers typically possess academic degree with major in electrical engineering electronics engineering or electronics and computer engineering. Length of study for such degree is usually four or five years. Completed degree may be designated as Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology Bachelor of Engineering Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Technology or Bachelor of Applied Science depending on university. Bachelor's degree generally includes units covering physics mathematics computer science project management and variety of topics in electrical engineering.
Some electrical engineers choose to study for postgraduate degree such as Master of Engineering Master of Science Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Engineering Doctorate or Engineer's degree. Master's and engineer's degrees may consist of either research coursework or mixture of both. Doctor of Philosophy and Engineering Doctorate degrees consist of significant research component often viewed as entry point to academia. In United Kingdom and some other European countries Master of Engineering considered to be undergraduate degree of slightly longer duration than Bachelor of Engineering rather than standalone postgraduate degree.
In most countries bachelor's degree in engineering represents first step towards professional certification. Degree program itself certified by professional body. After completing certified degree program engineer must satisfy range of requirements including work experience requirements before being certified. Once certified engineer designated title of Professional Engineer in United States Canada and South Africa Chartered engineer or Incorporated Engineer in India Pakistan United Kingdom Ireland and Zimbabwe.
Today most engineering work involves use of computers and it is commonplace to use computer-aided design programs when designing electrical systems. Nevertheless ability to sketch ideas still invaluable for quickly communicating with others. Fundamental to discipline are sciences of physics and mathematics helping obtain qualitative and quantitative description how such systems will work. A wide range of instrumentation used by electrical engineers includes basic multimeter measuring voltage current and resistance for simple control circuits and alarms.
Where time-varying signals need studied oscilloscope also ubiquitous instrument. In RF engineering and high-frequency telecommunications spectrum analyzers and network analyzers used. Safety can particular concern with instrumentation especially medical electronics designers taking into account much lower voltages than normal dangerous when electrodes directly contact internal body fluids. Power transmission engineering has great safety concerns due to high voltages used though voltmeters may principle similar to low voltage equivalents.
For many engineers technical work accounts only fraction of work they do. Lot time spent on tasks discussing proposals with clients preparing budgets determining project schedules. Many senior engineers manage team technicians other engineers requiring project management skills important. Most engineering projects involve some form documentation strong written communication skills therefore very important. Electrical engineers found in pristine lab environment fabrication plant aboard Naval ship offices consulting firm or on site at mine.
Common questions
When did Hans Christian Ørsted discover that an electric current produces a magnetic field?
Hans Christian Ørsted discovered that an electric current produces a magnetic field in 1820. This observation linked electricity and magnetism for the first time.
Which university founded the world's first department of electrical engineering in 1882?
The Technische Universität Darmstadt founded the world's first department of electrical engineering in 1882. They introduced the first-degree course in 1883.
Who invented the first working transistor at Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1947?
John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain invented the first working point-contact transistor while working under William Shockley at Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1947. They subsequently invented the bipolar junction transistor in 1948.
What year did Thomas Edison provide direct current to customers on Manhattan Island?
Thomas Edison provided 110 volts direct current to 59 customers on Manhattan Island when the first large-scale electric power network switched on in 1882.
When was the Z3 computer presented by Konrad Zuse using electromechanical parts?
Konrad Zuse presented the Z3 computer in 1941 using electromechanical parts. This machine preceded the Colossus which Tommy Flowers designed and built in 1943.