James Watt (1736 – 1819): An English inventor, he was trained in basic manufacturing techniques from a young age in his family. At 18, Watt enrolled in a school in Glasgow to study instrument making, laying a solid foundation for his improvements to the Newcomen steam engine.
After years of effort, he ultimately created the world-famous Watt steam engine, greatly enhancing industrial production efficiency. In 1785, he became a member of the Royal Society of London. Watt’s contributions are rightly recognized as: “The Founder of the Industrial Revolution”.
Watt was born on January 19, 1736, in the town of Greenock near Glasgow, England.
At the age of 8, while visiting his grandmother, he observed a kettle boiling. As the water boiled, steam erupted from the spout, and the lid of the kettle bounced up and down with a “clack, clack, clack” sound, while steam billowed upwards. Watt was fascinated and intently watched, wondering what kind of magic was happening inside the kettle.
After observing for a while, his intense curiosity encouraged him to bravely lift the kettle lid.
Steam billowed out into the air. Watt opened his curious eyes wide, seeing nothing but water inside the kettle.
How strange, he thought.
Watt ran outside, grabbed his grandmother’s hand, and asked her: “What makes the kettle lid jump up and down like that?”
His grandmother slowly replied: “Dear child, that is just boiling water.”
“But why does the lid jump when the water boils?” – Watt, still confused, asked again.
“It’s due to the steam, can’t you see the steam shooting out of the kettle spout?”
So, where does the steam come from? Why does it come out of the kettle spout?”
“My dear, it comes from the hot water, and when the water boils, steam is produced.”
“Oh, I see!”
Watt pondered for a moment and then asked his grandmother:
“Is the force of the steam really that strong? Just a little water produces enough steam to lift the kettle lid, so if we used more water, it must be really powerful, right? If steam is very strong, it could lift heavy objects, couldn’t it?”
“Yes, yes, I don’t know either, you’ll find out when you grow up!” Not getting an answer from his grandmother, Watt fell into deep thought.
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Stay tuned for: “James Watt – The Smart Apprentice“
