fbpx

KidsKonnect

John Ambrose Fleming Facts & Worksheets

John Ambrose Fleming was an English engineer who is known for his contributions to electronics, photometry, electric measurements, and wireless telegraphy.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /People /John Ambrose Fleming Facts & Worksheets

Premium
John Ambrose Fleming Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

John Ambrose Fleming was an English engineer who is known for his contributions to electronics, photometry, electric measurements, and wireless telegraphy.

See the fact file below for more information on the John Ambrose Fleming or alternatively, you can download our 25-page John Ambrose Fleming worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

  • John Ambrose Fleming was born on November 29, 1849 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom.
  • Ambrose Fleming was the eldest of seven children of James Fleming, who was a Congregational minister, and of Mary Ann.
  • Fleming started his education at the age of ten, where he attended a private school, the Lancaster Royal Grammar School, and his interest was particularly towards geometry.
  • He later on continued his studies at the University College School.
  • At the age of 11, Fleming had his own workshop where he built model boats, engines, and his own camera.
  • Fleming’s lifelong interest in photography started when he was able to build his own camera.
  • Fleming, while working, enrolled for a BSc degree at the University College, London.
  • In 1870, Fleming graduated and he then studied mathematics under the supervision of the mathematician Augustus de Morgan and of the physicist George Carey Foster.
  • Later on, Fleming became a chemistry student at the Royal College of Science which is now known as the Imperial College, in South Kensington, London.
  • Fleming’s first scientific paper was about his study of Alessandro Volta’s battery. This paper was the first paper to be read to the new Physical Society of London, which is now known as the Institute of Physics.
  • In 1874, Fleming became a science master at the Cheltenham College.
  • At Cambridge University, Fleming continued his scientific research and he corresponded with James Clerk Maxwell.
  • In October 1877, Fleming, at the age of 27, once again enrolled himself as a student at the Cambridge University.
  • Fleming graduated with flying colors; he graduated with a First Class Honours degree in chemistry and physics.
  • Fleming later on obtained a DSc from London and then served as a demonstrator of mechanical engineering for one year at Cambridge University.
  • After that, Fleming got appointed as the first Professor of Physics and Mathematics at the University College Nottingham.

CAREER

  • In 1882, Fleming left his post at the University College Nottingham.
  • He later on took on the position as an electrician at the Edison Electrical Light Company.
  • There, he gave advice on lighting systems and about the new Ferranti alternating current systems.
  • In 1884, Fleming joined the University College London where he took on the post as Chair of Electrical Technology.
  • In 1897, Fleming took up the position as Pender Chair of the Pender Laboratory at the University College, London.
  • In 1899, Guglielmo Marconi contracted Fleming, who was already considered an expert in power engineering, to help in his attempt to try transatlantic radio communication.
  • Fleming designed the first large radio transmitter.
  • In 1904, Fleming worked for the Marconi company where he worked on improving transatlantic radio reception. During this time, Fleming was able to invent the first thermionic vacuum tube, the two-electrode diode, which Fleming called the oscillation valve, which got to be known as the Fleming valve.
  • In 1922, at the age of 77, Fleming retired from the University College, London.
  • He later on became an advocate of the new technology of television, and he served as the second president of the Television Society.
  • Fleming was knighted in 1929.

PERSONAL AND LATER LIFE

  • On June 11, 1887, Fleming married Clara Ripley, who is the daughter of Walter Freake Pratt, a solicitor from Bath.
  • And then on July 27, 1928, Fleming got married once again, but this time, he got married to Olive May Franks, a popular young singer back then.
  • Fleming died on April 18, 1945, at his home in Sidmouth, Devon.

RIGHT-HAND RULE

  • One of the things Fleming is known for is his right-hand rule.
  • Fleming’s right hand rule shows the direction of induced current when there is a conductor attached to a circuit that moves in a magnetic field.
  • The right-hand rule is observed with the thumb, index finger, and middle finger.
  • The thumb is pointed towards the direction of the motion of the conductor that is relative to the magnetic field.
  • The index finger is pointed to the direction of the magnetic field, which is either north or south.
  • The middle finger shows the direction of the induced or generated current within the conductor.

HONORS

  • In 1910, Fleming received the Hughes Medal for his work in the field of electricity and electrical measurements.
  • In 1921, Fleming received the Albert Medal for his invention of the thermionic valve.
  • In 1928, Fleming received the Faraday Medal of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
  • Fleming also received the Duddell Medal of the Physical Society of London in 1930, the Institute of Radio Engineers Medal of Honor in 1933, and the Franklin Medal in 1935.

OTHER FACTS

  • Fleming’s diode was able to pass electric current in only one direction in a circuit and could convert alternating current (AC) electricity into direct current (DC) electricity.
  • Fleming’s diode together with a galvanometer can act as a rectifying detector of radio waves if in a tuned electrical circuit.
  • Fleming had no children and he donated his money to Christian charities that helped the poor.

John Ambrose Fleming Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the John Ambrose Fleming across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use John Ambrose Fleming worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about John Ambrose Fleming who was an English engineer who is known for his contributions to electronics, photometry, electric measurements, and wireless telegraphy.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • John Ambrose Fleming Facts
  • More
  • Years
  • Right Hand
  • F. Valve
  • ACDC
  • LH
  • Crossword
  • Diode
  • Mix N Match
  • Message

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as John Ambrose Fleming Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 3, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources