Tesla's Life and Inventions

1. Nikola Tesla was an engineer and inventor who is known for his contributions to the
development of the alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.
He was born in Smiljan, Croatia in 1856. His father was a priest and he grew up in a family
of five children. Tesla learned a lot from his mother, Duka Tesla. She was very good at
making craft tools and mechanical appliances.
In high school, Tesla became fascinated by electricity. His physics teacher would often
show demonstrations of electricity and Tesla wanted to know how this ‘wonderful force’
worked. In 1873, Tesla graduated from his high school.
In 1875, Tesla moved to Austria and attended the
Graz University of Technology to study mathematics
and physics. He was an extremely hard working
student and had excellent grades. He would often
wake up at 3 in the morning and keep on working until
11 at night. However, during his second year of study,
he became addicted to gambling. He gambled away
his allowance and tuition money. He was unprepared
for his exams and left the university without a
degree.
Soon after, he moved to Prague, Czech Republic where he attended the University of
Prague and took a degree in philosophy.
Nikola Tesla

2. In 1881, when he was 26, he started working at the Central Telegraph Office in Budapest,
Hungary. It is said that during this time, Tesla came up with theories to develop a
rotating magnetic field. These theories are still being used today to make
electromagnetic devices, such as CD players, audio speakers and hairdryers.
In 1882, Tesla moved to Paris to work for the Continental Edison Company (a company
of the famous inventor Thomas Edison). He worked on a project where he had to develop
an electrical power utility. During this he learned a lot about electrical engineering. His
employers noticed how brilliant Tesla was and decided to offer him a job in the United
States. In 1884, he emigrated to America and he was given the task to develop a large
electrical utility in New York.
Tesla resigned a year after and began working for
Thomas Edison in the United States. He wanted to
work on his own projects. In 1887, Tesla successfully
developed his alternating current system. He was
now a direct competitor of Edison, who was selling
his direct current system.
Tesla developed several other electrical systems in
the years that followed. However, his company went
bankrupt in 1917. He couldn’t manage to compete
with Edison and other companies who were also making great technological advances.
After his bankruptcy, Tesla suffered a nervous breakdown. Eventually he would take on
jobs as a consultant. He would never come up with any successful inventions anymore.
In 1943, at the age of 86, Tesla died in New York.

3. Questions
Exercise 1: Answer the questions below.
1. When and where was Nikola Tesla
born?
______________________________
2. What did Tesla study at university?
______________________________
______________________________
3. Why did Tesla drop out from
university?
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
4. What was Tesla’s first job?
______________________________
______________________________
5. Give three examples of products that
use rotating magnetic fields?
______________________________
______________________________
6. Why did Thomas Edison hire Tesla?
______________________________
______________________________
7. Who invented the direct current
system? And who invented the
alternating current system?
______________________________
______________________________
8. When did Nikola Tesla die?
______________________________
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks.
1. Nikola Tesla was an ____________
and ___________ who is known for
inventing the _________________ .
2. Tesla learned a lot from his
__________ , she was very good at
making ________________________ .
3. Tesla first worked for ___________
and became his ___________ after.
4. After his company went
____________ , Tesla suffered a
_____________ .

4. Timeline
1875
1873
1856
1881
1882
1884
1887
1917
Exercise 3: Complete the timeline of Tesla.
1943

5. Tesla’s most important invention is the electrical distribution system that used
alternating current (AC). He developed this system when he worked for the
Westinghouse Electric Company. His system proved to be more successful than Edison’s
direct current system of transporting electricity in a grid. DC current power systems
send electricity flowing in one direction in a straight line. AC currents quickly change
direction at a much higher voltage. Alternating current is the type of electricity that
comes out of wall sockets, direct current comes out from batteries.
In 1891, Tesla successfully implemented his invention by lighting the World Columbian
Exposition in Chicago for the first time. Soon after, they installed AC generators at the
Niagara Falls, creating the first modern power station. His invention became the basis
for most electricity distribution systems.
Another major invention of Tesla
was the Tesla Coil. He developed it
in 1891 and was the first machine
that could wirelessly transmit
electricity. A Tesla Coil works in
the reverse way as a phone
charger. It doesn’t reduce the
voltage, but increases it. Apart
from increasing its voltage, it also
increases the electricity’s frequency. Once a high voltage and frequency are reached, it
can create a field of energy that is used to transmit electricity. It was used in radio
antennas and telegraphy, but the machine could also shoot lightning bolts.
Nikola Tesla

6. Apart from his AC system and the Tesla Coil, he invented and developed many more
things. Including:
X-ray technology: When Tesla was experimenting
with fluorescent light, he accidentally captured the
first X-ray picture. Nevertheless, he never developed
the technology to do so. Wilhelm Roentgen is credited
for this discovery.
Induction motor: The induction motor creates
mechanical power from electricity. It uses alternating
current to create a rotating magnetic field which
turns a rotor. These motors are used for many things,
such as home appliances, factory machines, electric trains and cars.
Radio: Tesla was the first person who showed that radio waves were just another
frequency that needed a transmitter and a receiver. However, Guglielmo Marconi,
an Italian engineer, built the first actual radio.
Even though Tesla lived over a hundred years ago, his contributions to science affect
our lives every single day. Without Tesla’s invention, we wouldn’t have electric lights, use
a computer or watch television.
One of the earliest
X-rays.

7. Questions
Exercise 4: Choose the best answers for the questions below.
1. What is an electrical distribution system?
a. A machine that increases the voltage
and frequency of electricity.
b. A device that charges mobile phones.
c. A system to transport electricity.
d. A device that creates mechanical power.
2. Which statement about alternating
current is true?
a. It is used in batteries.
b. It quickly changes direction at a high
voltage.
c. It flows in one direction in a straight line.
d. It was developed by Thomas Edison.
3. Who invented the radio?
a. Thomas Edison b. Nikola Tesla
c. Guglielmo Marconi d. Henry Ford
4. What does an Induction motor do?
a. It uses a magnetic field to turn a
rotor.
b. It produces fluorescent light.
c. It creates direct current.
d. It increases voltage.
5. What does a Tesla Coil do?
a. Wirelessly transmit electricity.
b. Create a field of energy.
c. Shoot lightning bolts.
d. All of the above.
6. Which of the following are
inventions of Tesla?
a. Tesla Coil b. AC current
c. Light bulb d. Battery
e. Induction motor f. Telephone
Exercise 5: Unscramble the words below. Hints are given.
1. CrctnriteueDr
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A power system that was invented by Edison.
2. PitnarStoowe
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Tesla created the first modern … at the Niagara Falls.
3. rnhCPhoereag
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A Tesla Coil works in the opposite way of a … .
4. goRneetn
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Wilhelm … developed X-ray technology.
5. tncgMnitaoRiaetg
________ ________
An induction motor uses AC to create a …field.
6. nltaaiI
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
The inventor of the radio was an … engineer.

8. Fun Facts
Tesla had a photographic memory. He could memorize books, experiments and facts
that helped him with his work.
For some reason, Tesla hated pearls. He once sent his secretary home when he
noticed she wore pearls.
Tesla spoke eight languages. He was able to speak Croatian, English, Czech, German,
French, Hungarian, Italian and Latin.
Tesla designed the first hydroelectric power
plant in the Niagara Falls. It is a power plant
that uses flowing water to generate electricity.
A statue of Tesla was built next to the Falls in
his honor.
Tesla invented the first remote control. He controlled a toy boat with the device.
Exercise 6: The words below have been chopped in half. Find the pieces that fit
together and write them in the answer area.
1. __________________
2. __________________
3. __________________
4. __________________
5. __________________
6. __________________
MEM RLS ORY
NIA CROA PEA
GARA CON MAN
TIAN GER TROL

9. Word Search
Exercise 7: Find the words below in the word search.
Electricity Voltage Tesla Coil Inventor
Alternating United Sates Magnetic Field X-Ray
Edison Induction Motor Radio Engineer
E Z J U Y D R D O L K I Y S A V
N E Z H D T N O S I D E E N O G
G I G Y X Y I B X G D T Q L H N
I M N Y L A P C P Y A A T S A I
N W U V I R A S I S X A R G P T
E Y J P E X Q W D R G W Q I N A
E W F G D N C E J E T F A I J N
R T M D O O T E S L A C O I L R
D G B K K I A O H I G B E Q H E
C J W Y N L Q I R B F N G L M T
I N D U C T I O N M O T O R E L
D L E I F C I T E N G A M D F A

10. Crossword
Exercise 8: Complete the crossword puzzle.
Across
2. Where was Nikola Tesla born?
4. For which famous inventor did
Tesla Work?
5. When Tesla was experimenting
with ... light, he accidentally
captured the first X-ray picture.
6. Where did Tesla die?
7. The ... uses rotating magnetic
fields to turn a rotor.
8. Who discovered X-rays?
Down
1. An invention of Tesla that could
wirelessly transmit electricity.
3. Tesla developed the ... current
system.