Hertzs Wireless

Experiment

Heinrich Rudolf Hertz

Born - 22 February 1857 (Hamburg, Germany). Died - 1
January 1894
German physicist; formally proved the existence of
electromagnetic waves (as conceived earlier by James
Clerk Maxwell)

Materials and Methods

The experiment basically used two (2) components
the radio wave transmitter and the receiver. For the
transmitter, Hertz made an oscillator composed of a
high voltage induction coil, a Leyden jar to serve as
condenser, and a spark gap with brass spheres as
poles. The receiving antennae is simply a looped wire
with small knobs at each end.

Experimental setup

Retrieved from http://www.juliantrubin.com/bigten/images/hertz_experiment.jpg

Recreated Transmitter and Receiver (Hertzs Wireless

experiment)
Retrieved from https://renjiveda.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/hertz-resonatordetector.jpg

Existence of EM Wave
After the oscillator (transmitter) was turned on,
o a current was induced in the wire loop (receiver)
o sparks were generated between the gap
Radio waves were first transmitted in this experiment through a
wireless medium, hence clarifying and proving Maxwells theory
of electromagnetic propagation through space.

Production of Radio wave (wireless

medium)
Radio
Transmitt
er

EM wave
(Radio
wave)

Radio
Receiver

Further Experiments
o

Measurement of the speed of radio waves (which is the same as that of

lights)

Accidental discovery of photoelectric effect (exposure of receiver to UV

radiation)

References
o Hertz Experiment. Retrieved from
http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b858/dept/sci/teacher/zubot/Phys30notes/Hertzexp/hertzexp.
htm
o The Discovery of Radio Waves. Retrieved from
http://www.sparkmuseum.com/BOOK_HERTZ.HTM
o Scientists and Electromagnetic Waves: Maxwell and Hertz. Retrieved from
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/consider.html
o Hertz Experiment Production and Reception of Radio waves. Retrieved from
http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/teach_res/hsp/u7/t7_hertz.pdf
o The Discovery of Electromagnetic Radiation. Retrieved from
http://www.juliantrubin.com/bigten/hertzexperiment.html