Thomas Alva Edison

 Thomas Elva Edison

Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of the gramophone and the electric bulb, was a very curious and intelligent boy. He was born on 11th February 1847, in Milan, Ohio, in the United States of America. Even at the age of eight he had set up his laboratory and started his experiments. He worked hard to earn money for his experiments. He invented a machine to send more than one message at the same time along a wire in 1869. He was offered forty thousand dollars for this invention.

Now Edison started his factory and employed many assistants. He worked very hard and invented some very useful things. He made the first talking machine. Later this machine was improved, and the gramophone came into existence.

Edison's most important and useful invention was the electric bulb. He spent about 40,000 dollars and was able to produce it in 1879 after two years of hard labour. He worked day and night till the end of his life in 1931 to make the world a happier place to live in. He improved telegraphy, Bells, the telephone, and the Remington typewriter. He invented the electric fan. He produced the first talkie (talking picture) in 1913.

While narrating the story of Thomas Elva Edison by the grandfather to his grandson, Parum. He was asked to do some home tasks as follows.

Q. 1. Answer the following questions (in not more than three or four sentences).

(1) What was young Tom doing one day? What made him do it?

Ans. When Tom saw hens sitting on eggs, he tried to find out if he could hatch eggs. He told his father that he was much bigger than a hen and could sit on the hen's eggs and hatch them. His father said, "Tom, you are not a hen or duck to hatch eggs."

(2) When did Tom start his experiments?

Ans. Tom started his experiments at the age of eight.

(3) Why did young Edison lose so many of his jobs?

Ans. Edison lost many of his jobs because he spent a lot of time on experiments and his employers thought he was wasting. his time.

(4) What was Edison's first important invention?

Ans. Edison's first important invention was a machine for sending multiple messages at the same time along a wire.

(5) How did Edison get the money he needed to start his laboratory and factory?

Ans. Edison invented a machine for sending more than one message at the same time along a wire. He got forty thousand dollars for this machine.

(6) What is a talking machine? What is a talkie?

Ans. A talking machine is just a gramophone. A talkie is a talking picture.

(7) Why did the Americans turn off their electric lights for a while when Edison died?

Ans. It was Edison who invented the electric bulb. Therefore, when he died the Americans turned off their lights to give respect to Edison who had given them their lights.

Q. Write a brief on Edison.

·       Edison was one of the world's greatest inventors. He was born in 1847. He was an intelligent child. He loved to observe and experiment. His teachers didn't think much of him, but his mother knew that Tom was a very clever boy.

·       Edison improved telegraphy. He made it possible to send more than one message along a line at the same time. He improved Bell's telephone. He invented the gramophone, which he called the talking machine and the modern Cinema which he called the talkie. He improved the Remington typewriter. He also gave the world its first electricity. It was perhaps his most useful invention. It took about two years to find out the best material for making a filament.

Q. Imagine Parum that you were one of Edison’s laboratory assistants, write about some of your experiences with the great man.

Parum writes his answer.

I, Parum Misri, served as an assistant to Edison in his laboratory. He treated all his employees, senior or junior, equally. He was kind and full of love for all. One day he told me that he would soon invent a talking machine. I did not believe him. I asked him to bet on it. I was sure of winning the bet. But to my great surprise, he succeeded in inventing a talkie and I lost the bet, a box of toffees.

I noticed during my contact with Edison that he worked very hard and was always busy doing experiments. He was lost in the job he did. He forgot even to take his lunch or dinner. He spent everything he earned on his scientific experiments. To discover and invent new things was the main aim of his life. Though he was one of the greatest scientists in the world, he was very humble and gentle as a man.

Parum M.

USA