Francis Hauksbee

Generator built by Francis Hauksbee. From Physico-Mechanical Experiments, 2nd Ed., London 1719

Francis Hauksbee the elder (1666-1713), also known as Francis Hawksbee, was an eighteenth-century British scientist, and a member of the Royal Society. He is best known for his work on Electricity and electrostatic replusion.

By 1705, Hauksbee had discovered that if he placed a small amount of mercury in the glass of his modified version of Otto von Guericke's generator and evacuated the air from it, and then he caused a charge to be built up on the ball, a glow was visible if he placed his hand on the outside of the ball. This glow was bright enough to read by. It seemed to be similar to St. Elmo's Fire

This effect later became the basis of Neon lighting and mercury vapor lights.

In 1709 he published Physico-Mechanical Experiments on Various Subjects in which much of his scientific work is summed up.

External links

• http://www.thebakken.org/artifacts/Hauksbee.htm
• Eighteenth Century Electrochemistry
• Von Guericke's sulfer globe
• profile of Von Guericke
• Electical Machine (credits Hauksbee with the "first true electrical machine was built c. 1700")
• Electrostatics at Home
• tools of 18th century electricians
• Franklin and Electrostatics Gives detailed instructions on constructing a Hauksbee generator.