Heinrich Rudolf Hertz facts for kids
Heinrich Rudolf Hertz (born February 22, 1857 – died January 1, 1894) was a famous German physicist. He made a huge discovery in 1888: he found radio waves! These waves had been predicted before by a scientist named Maxwell. Hertz also proved that light is actually a type of electromagnetic wave. Today, the unit for frequency (how often a wave repeats) is named after him, called the hertz (Hz).
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Early Life and Education
Heinrich Hertz was born in Hamburg in 1857. When he was young, he studied engineering in Frankfurt. Later, he went to the University of Munich to continue his studies. He earned his PhD degree from the University of Berlin. After finishing his education, he taught and kept doing research at the University of Bonn and the University of Kiel.
Discovering Radio Waves
Hertz's most important work was about electromagnetic waves. He built special equipment to create and detect these waves. In 1888, he successfully showed that radio waves exist. He proved that these waves could travel through the air, just like light. This was a big step towards developing radio, television, and wireless communication as we know it today.
What is Frequency?
Frequency is a way to measure how many times something happens in a certain period. For waves, it means how many waves pass a point in one second. Because of Heinrich Hertz's important work, the standard unit for frequency is called the hertz (Hz). So, if a wave has a frequency of 100 Hz, it means 100 waves pass by every second.
Later Life and Legacy
Sadly, Heinrich Hertz died quite young from blood poisoning in 1894. He was only 36 years old. Even though he died young, his discoveries changed the world. His work laid the foundation for modern wireless technology. Every time you use a radio, a cell phone, or Wi-Fi, you are using technology that relies on the principles Heinrich Hertz discovered.
Images for kids
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Hertz's first radio transmitter. This device created the radio waves he discovered.
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A memorial for Heinrich Hertz at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. It says he discovered electromagnetic waves here.
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A picture of Heinrich Hertz.
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A page from one of Hertz's scientific papers from 1880.
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The cover of a collection of Hertz's writings, published in 1895.
See also
In Spanish: Heinrich Rudolf Hertz para niños
