1. Thomas Edison His life The full name of Thomas Edison is Thomas Alva Edison and he was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio the seventh and last child of Samuel and Nancy Edison. When Edison was seven his family moved to Port Huron, Michigan. Edison lived there until he struck out on his own at the age of sixteen. A photo of young Thomas Edison about Thomas AND Thomas had 2 marriage. The first marriage was on December 25, 1871 with 16-year-old Mary Stilwell whom he had met two months earlier as she was an employee at one of his shops. They had three children:Marion Estelle,Thomas Alva Edison and William Leslie. Mary Edison died on August 9, 1884, possibly from a brain tumour. The second marriage was on February 24, 1886, with Mina Miller. They also had 3 children: Madeleine Edison, Charles Edison and Theodore Edison. Edison had very little formal education as a child, attending school only for a few months. He was taught reading, writing, and arithmetic by his mother, but was always a very curious child and taught himself much by reading on his own. This belief in self- improvement remained throughout his life. I am still as strong as when I was young! I am handsome right? Family More Thank you this websites: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm http://inventors.about.com/od/estartinventors/a/Edison_Bio.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/C004471/tep/en/biographies/thomas_edison.html http://images.google.com.sg/ http://memory.loc.gov/ Some of Edison’s famous quotes "Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration. Accordingly, a 'genius' is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework." “Of all my inventions, I liked the phonograph best...." http://www.thomasedison.com/quotes.html Done by: Andrew Lau 1O102

2. After many experiments with platinum and other metal filaments, Edison returned to a carbon filament. The first successful test was on October 22, 1879; it lasted 40 hours. Edison continued to improve this Design and by November 4, 1879, filed for U.S. patent 22,898 (granted on January 27, 1880) for an electric lamp using "a carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires. It was not until several months after the patent was granted that Edison and his team discovered a carbonized bamboo filament that could last over 1,200 hours. Volta did an experiment where he placed two electrodes (connected to a battery he developed) into both of his ear canals. He heard a loud bang, followed by an auditory sensation he reported to be like the boiling of thick soup. This discovery would lead many researchers to investigate the use of electric current to stimulate the auditory system in hopes of providing a means of hearing for the deaf. Modern day technology, coupled with the research findings that resulted from spin-off studies following Volta's report of electrical auditory stimulation is arguably responsible for the development of the cochlear implant. His inventions The tin foil phonograph The tin foil phonograph is the first great invention of Thomas Edison. While working to improve the efficiency of a telegraph transmitter, he noted that the tape of the machine gave off a noise resembling spoken words when played at a high speed. This caused him to wonder if he could record a telephone message. He began experimenting with the diaphragm of a telephone receiver by attaching a needle to it. He reasoned that the needle could prick paper tape to record a message. His experiments led him to try a stylus on a tinfoil cylinder, which, to his great surprise, played back the short message he recorded, "Mary had a little lamb." Electricity and light bulb. Contributions Edison's greatest contribution was the first practical electric lighting. He not only invented the first successful electric light bulb, but also set up the first electrical power distribution company. Edison invented the phonograph, and made improvements to the telegraph, telephone and motion picture technology. He also founded the first modern research laboratory. The light bulb that Thomas Edison invented is of great use as it has long hour usage and we need light to see things. Using the light bulb is much more safer, cheaper and does not waste energy. The light bulb was not invented by him actually but he was the person who improved it The phonograph creates a permanent copy of messages sent by telephone. People could listen to CD for a longer period of time. This machine was very creative and it responded to the people’s need to listen to CD and for a long period of time. The kinetoscope that he invented was to move pictures as entertainment. It was designed for films to be viewed individually through the window of a cabinet housing its components—the Kinetoscope introduced the basic approach that would become the standard for all cinematic projection before the advent of video Kinetoscope Phonograph Light bulb How atoms emit light