Process Paper
At the beginning of this NHD process, I had 3 ideas for topics. Claude Debussy, Steven Hawking, and Nikola Tesla. Nikola Tesla was added to my list because of how enthusiastic my parents and brother were about him. They encouraged me to look into him more and to select him as my topic. After researching about his accomplishments, I became more and more interested and finally decided to choose him as my topic.
One of the first sources I found was on Gale database. It was a biography of Nikola Tesla, and it gave me a lot of much needed information on him to help me start off. I later found many more sources on that database. Off of the info I had gotten from the database, I began searching google for a possible autobiography. Luckley, there was one and I was able to ask my mom to get it from UWM, where she works. After I learned more about Tesla’s inventions, I decided to focus on his invention of alternating current more because of how impactful and important it is. That’s when I began finding more AC related sources off of google. I would say my best source that I found throughout the whole process was the first biography I got on Gale database. It was very informative and gave me info on almost all the things I wanted to cover in my website.
When I began debating about what type of project I would do, I was stuck between an exhibit and a website. I really like art and computer programming. In the end, I settled on making a website because I felt that it would be a new experience because I’ve never made a website before. I’ve already had many chances to make projects like exhibits in school so I chose to do something new. Also, making the website would be a lot easier for me because I usually don’t have much time to buy materials to make the exhibit. The website would be easier for me to work on, and a lot more portable so I would work on it even when I was away for winter break.
Nikola Tesla in a genius inventor and anyone can say that any invention is breaking some sort of barrier, but, in my opinion, the barrier that Tesla broke, was one of the most important and influential inventions. Before Tesla invented his AC motor, people would only use DC, and generating AC with a motor was thought to be impossible. DC was dangerous, and couldn’t transport power long distances. If they wanted to transfer DC a longer distance, they would have to build a substation every 2 miles just to keep the current going. With the invention of AC, many problems were solved. Light bulbs gave of white light instead of yellow, less people were killed by it, and long distance power transfer was suddenly possible with AC. Nikola Tesla’s AC motor broke the mechanical and electrical barriers completely.