Thermal electricity was found more than 180 years ago by Thomas Johann Seebeck, the inhabitant of Tallinn. In 1822, Seebeck published in reports of the Prussian Academy of Science the findings of his experiments during which Seebeck noticed that the connection of the loop formed by two different metal pieces, with a temperature difference between the junctions, the magnetized needle deflected same as in the presence of magnet. Seebeck calculated that the deflection angle of the arrow was connected with the value of the temperature difference in the loop — subsequently this phenomenon received the name «Seebeck Effect».
However, the scientist himself denied the involvement in this current phenomenon. His article «Magnetic Polarization of Metals and Ores Produced by Temperature Difference» contains the explanation on the basis of which the phenomenon depended on the magnetization of materials under the influence of the temperature difference.
The notion «thermal electricity» was first introduced by a Danish physicist, a researcher of electromagnetism phenomena, Hans Christian Oersted. At the same time, Seebeck used the notion «thermal magnetism».
Owing to a large experience in studying circuits under the influence of different temperatures on them, Seebeck accumulated a large experimental material that helped him to compose the thermoelectric range.
Subsequently, in 12 years after Seebeck’s discovery of thermal electricity, Peltier effect was discovered being the direct opposite to Seebeck effect. In his experiments Peltier noted that when the current is made to flow through 2 different conductors, the heat is absorbed on one end, and generated on another conductor.
Same as Seebeck, Peltier could not explain correctly results of his experiments. In 1858 only William Thomson explained Seebeck and Peltier effects and the interrelation between them. Data obtained by Thomson made it possible for him to discover a third thermoelectric effect — the volumetric generation or absorption of heat in the conductor at the combined action of the electric current and the temperature gradient named after him afterwards.
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