Alessandro Volta

Lore & Background

Volta drew admiration from Napoleon Bonaparte, who invited him to demonstrate his invention at the Institute of France and later made him a count in 1810. Volta retired in 1819 to his estate in Camnago, a frazione of Como, now named 'Camnago Volta.' He died there on 5 March 1827 from a series of illnesses beginning in 1823. He was raised a Catholic and maintained his belief throughout his life, though he was sometimes accused of being irreligious because he was not ordained a clergyman.

Reader's Guide

Alessandro Volta's significance lies in his foundational contributions to electricity and electrochemistry. By inventing the voltaic pile in 1799, he provided the first source of continuous electric current, sparking a wave of scientific excitement that led to the development of electrochemistry. His work debunked the theory that electricity was generated solely by living beings, proving it could be produced chemically. Volta also discovered methane, studied electrical capacitance, and formulated Volta's Law of Capacitance and the law of the electrochemical series. His legacy is honored by the SI unit of electric potential, the volt, named after him. Memorials include the Tempio Voltiano in Como, the Aula Volta at the University of Pavia, and the Voltian Foundation. His image appeared on the Italian Lire 10,000 note, and the electric eel species Electrophorus voltai was named after him in 2019. The Como Conference in 1927 marked the 100th anniversary of his death.

Did You Know?

• Volta discovered methane in the marshes of Angera on Lake Maggiore in November 1776.
• He invented the voltaic pile in 1799, which produced a steady electric current using zinc and copper electrodes.
• The SI unit of electric potential, the volt, is named in his honour.
• Volta was made a count by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1810.