Da eletricidade nos séculos XVII e XVIII às leis eletroquímicas de Michael Faraday

Abstract

This dissertation was developed from a historical review of the work of Michael Faraday (1791-1867) concerning the theory of electrolysis and its electrochemical laws. In an interconnected way, we analyze the evolution of electricity concepts in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, such as electric theories and the Leyden bottle design, studies on static electricity and its transmission, the voltaic cell and water decomposition phenomena. Faraday was a judgmental, observant and critical experimentalist. With the support of the great structure offered by the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London in the nineteenth century, he devoted much of his life to science and its consequent popularization through his famous Lectures, playing a key role in the spread of science in the nineteenth century. Having held positions of Fullerian Professor of Chemistry of this institution and professor of Chemistry of the Royal Military Academy of Woolwich, he was able to practice his teaching methodology. Their research has been compiled in several works, but we focus mainly on four of these, namely: Faraday's Diary (Vols 1 and 2), Experimental Researches in Chemistry and Physics and Experimental Researches in Electricity, emphasizing series III to VIII of the latter. We chose to have these works as main bibliographies, because being works of the researcher they are characterized as primary sources of research in the History of Science, besides having a high level of detail in their texts, showing us aspects of the scientist's experience, besides of errors and correctness in their work. In this way, we were able to experience part of the path taken by Faraday in the elucidation of electrochemical laws between the years 1832-34, allowing us to analyze its theoretical and practical aspects.