Incandescent Light Bulb 22 Inventors of incandescent light

bulbs before Edison Heated metal filament glows when

heated and is protected from air by glass and a strong vacuum

Credited for invention for three reasons◦ Long lasting carbonized bamboo filament

(1200+ hours)

◦ Cost effective for mass production

◦ High resistance which made it economically viable

Thomas Edison’s Influence on Today’s World

Phonograph Influence First device that could record and

reproduce sounds Made CD’s, MP3’s, & radio

possible Helped create the music industry

Light Bulb Influence Though invented by others, Edison made it a

commercial success LED TV lights are possible because of the light bulb Las Vegas, a city with billions of lights was made

possible because of cheap, highly resistant lights

Kinetoscope Influence Largely developed by Edison’s

employee William Dickson Though not true video gave the

illusion of motion Gave birth to American Cinema Created the pathway for what is

now a multi-billion dollar industry

Dickson Greeting (1891)