Undated photograph of English chemist and physicist Michael Faraday (1791 - 1867). (AP Photo)

Undated picture of English chemist and physicist Michael Faraday. (AP Photo)

Illustration from an 1892 Chemistry book for Faraday's experiment for investigating the different parts of a candle flame. An ignited candle in holder is next to a glass flask, a glass tube extends from the flame of the candle through the neck and into the globe of the flask. The Chemical History of a Candle was the title of a series of six Christmas lectures for young people (1860) on the chemistry and physics of flames given by Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution where he gave an in-depth analysis of the evolutionary development, workings and science of candles. His account has served as the basis for lessons in taking observations in science ever since.

Electrostatic field lines around two point charges and a cylinder. The left point is charged to -30,000 volts while the right point has a potential of +30,000 volts. Of special importance is the lack of fields showing inside the cylinder, which acts as a Faraday cage, shielding the enclosed area from any external electrical fields. This is the classic case of no electrical fields inside an electrical conductor. Part of a series showing different charging conditions. The electric fields are shown by placing the two charged objects in a pan filled with cooking oil and pepper flakes, which align in the electric field, allowing visualization of the field.