What were Michael Faraday's contributions to electromagnetism?

Michael Faraday was a pioneering English chemist and physicist who laid the foundational principles of electromagnetism through his experimental work. His major discoveries include electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and the connection between magnetism and light. By inventing early electromagnetic rotary devices, he established the baseline for electric motor technology and modern electrical power usage.

What we know

• Michael Faraday discovered the principles underlying electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and the laws of electrolysis. [2]
• His research on the magnetic field around a conductor carrying a direct current established the concept of the electromagnetic field in physics. [2]
• Faraday established that magnetism could affect rays of light, demonstrating an underlying relationship between the two phenomena. [2]
• Faraday's law of induction describes how a changing magnetic field can induce an electric current in a circuit, which is the fundamental operating principle of transformers and inductors. [3]

Where to go next

• how it workedHow does Faraday's law of induction describe changing magnetic fields?
• what caused itHow did James Clerk Maxwell translate Faraday's ideas into equations?
• what followedWhat are the core principles behind electric motor technology?
• whoWho was Michael Faraday?
• a case in pointWhat is the IET Faraday Medal?
• an unexpected connectionWhy did Albert Einstein keep a portrait of Faraday on his study wall?Einstein held Faraday in such high esteem for his experimental discoveries that he displayed his portrait alongside Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell.

Sources

• [1]Michael Faraday (Wikidata Q8750) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Michael Faraday · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Faraday's law of induction · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]IET Faraday Medal · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Institute of Physics Michael Faraday Medal and Prize · CC BY-SA 4.0