Versorium (Latin "turn around") is a device for detecting the presence of static electricity and the first known electrical device. It was developed in 1600 by
William GilbertWilliam Gilbert, also known as Gilbard, was an English physician and natural philosopher. He was an early Copernican, and passionately rejected both the prevailing Aristotelian philosophy and the Scholastic method of university teaching...
, physician to Queen Elizabeth I.
The versorium is a needle constructed out of metal which is allowed to pivot freely on a pedestal. The metal needle would be attracted to charged bodies brought near it, turning towards the charged object.
Versorium (Latin "turn around") is a device for detecting the presence of static electricity and the first known electrical device. It was developed in 1600 by
William GilbertWilliam Gilbert, also known as Gilbard, was an English physician and natural philosopher. He was an early Copernican, and passionately rejected both the prevailing Aristotelian philosophy and the Scholastic method of university teaching...
, physician to Queen Elizabeth I.
Construction
The versorium is a needle constructed out of metal which is allowed to pivot freely on a pedestal. The metal needle would be attracted to charged bodies brought near it, turning towards the charged object. Since it is able to distinguish between
chargedElectric charge is a fundamental conserved property of some subatomic particles, which determines their electromagnetic interaction. Electrically charged matter is influenced by, and produces, electromagnetic fields...
and non-charged objects, it is an example of a class of devices known as
electroscopeAn electroscope is an early scientific instrument that is used to detect the presence and magnitude of electric charge on a body. It was the first electrical measuring instrument. The first electroscope, a pivoted needle called the versorium, was invented by British physician William Gilbert...
s. It can be noted that the versorium is of a similar construction to the magnetic compass, but is influenced by electrostatic rather than magnetic forces. At the time, the differences between magnetic and electrical forces were poorly understood and Gilbert did a series of experiments to prove they were two separate types of forces with the Versorium and another device called a
TerrellaA terrella is a small magnetised model ball representing the Earth, that is thought to have been invented by Englishman physician William Gilbert while investigating magnetism, and further developed 300 years later by the Norwegian scientist and explorer Kristian Birkeland, while investigating the...
(or "little Earth"). In fact, Gilbert was the first to draw a clear distinction between magnetism and static electricity and is credited with establishing the term electricity - one might call him the first electrical engineer.
Impact
Gilbert used the versorium to test whether different materials were "elektrics" (
insulatorsAn insulator, also called a dielectric, is a material that resists the flow of electric current. An insulating material has atoms with tightly bonded valence electrons. These materials are used in parts of electrical equipment, also called insulators or insulation, intended to support or separate...
, in modern terms) or non-"elektrics" (
conductorsIn science and engineering, an electrical conductor is a material which contains movable electric charges. In metallic conductors, such as copper or aluminum, the movable charged particles are electrons...
). While he didn't devise a theory to explain his findings, it was a good example of how science was starting to change by incorporating empirical studies at the dawn of the
age of reasonAge of reason may refer to:* 17th-century philosophy, as a successor of the Renaissance and a predecessor to the Age of Enlightenment* Age of Enlightenment in its long form of 1600-1800* The Age of Reason, a book by Thomas Paine...
. A century and a half later, Andrew Gordon constructed what seems to have been the first electric motor, which was based on Gilbert's device. His design was a double versoriu| url = http://www.teach-nology.com/lessons/lsn_pln_view_lessons.php?action=view&cat_id=8&lsn_id=7027 | accessdate = July 6 | accessyear = 2007 }} One reason is that the operation of the versorium is simple to understand and the device is suitable for building by even young students, but can still be used to illustrate many important concepts in
electricityElectricity is a general term that encompasses a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge...
. The Versorium can easily be built using household materials.