Adams, William Grylls
Published: August 18, 2006, 2:08 pm
Updated: August 18, 2006, 2:08 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Tom Lawrence
William Grylls Adams (1836-1915), an English professor of Natural Philosophy at King’s College, London. He discovered that the solid material 'selenium' produced electricity when exposed to light. This became known as the photoelectric effect, which the German physicist Heinrich Hertz demonstrated experimentally in 1887. Although selenium solar cells had low efficiencies and would be replaced with silicon cells, Adams’ work proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or without moving parts.
Further Reading
William Grylls Adams, Biographical Information (Navigational Aids for the History of Science, Technology & the Environment)
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Citation
Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Tom Lawrence (Topic Editor) "Adams, William Grylls". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 18, 2006; Last revised Date August 18, 2006; Retrieved May 21, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Adams,_William_Grylls>
The Author
Cutler J. Cleveland is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)
William Grylls Adams (1836-1915), an English professor of Natural Philosophy at King’s College, London. He discovered that the solid material 'selenium' produced electricity when exposed to light. This became known as the photoelectric effect, which the German physicist Heinrich Hertz demonstrated experimentally in 1887. Although selenium solar cells had low efficiencies and would be replaced with silicon cells, Adams’ work proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or without moving parts.
Further Reading
William Grylls Adams, Biographical Information (Navigational Aids for the History of Science, Technology & the Environment)
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