As we
saw on
page 16!
Did you know?
Have you ever wondered why so many famous physicists of the
past were men, and only a few were women? It was because of the
strict rules of society back then. Agnes Pockels was unable to publish
her research findings because the scientific journals of the time
refused to publish anything that was written by a woman.
Fortunately, things have changed over the last 150 years. Today,
women can choose to become whatever they want to be …
Alessandro Graf Volta
•
Once said: “You must be ready to give up even the most
attractive ideas when experiments show them to be wrong.”
•
Also from Italy, Volta was born in 1745.
•
He did not speak until he was 4 years old.
•
He invented the first battery (= “voltaic pile”).
Agnes Pockels
ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER
Using a voltaic pile — the world’s first working battery — Volta
performed electrolysis on water for the very first time in
1800. The electrolysis of water involves breaking down water
molecules into their individual parts. This produces oxygen and
hydrogen gas. This technique is used to split chemical
compounds into their component parts.
•
Once said: “Only someone who is compassionate toward
herself can show compassion toward others.”
•
Her findings were initially ignored by German scientists
and it was only with the help of an English physicist
that they eventually became known to the wider world.
•
She was a German chemist born in
Venice in 1862.
•
She chose not to pursue formal education so
she could look after her parents, and she
educated herself.
•
She investigated surface tension.
Believe in yourself!
It was really fun to have
shared this adventure
with you! I hope you’d like
to have many more. Bye!
