The Steam Engine

The world needed another source of transportation and even a way to pump water out of mines.  Engineers have tried to make steam engines and have tried to find easier ways to clean water for mines.  In 1698, Thomas Savery successfully made a steam engine though it was not that of use those days. It was effectively used for clearing water out of mines. (One day) Due to Thomas Savery creating the Steam engine, many others have helped to improve the invention leading to the Watt Steam engine brought to life by James Watt in 1778.  The Steam Engine, which was created by James Watt, helped in both the ways of pumping water out and mostly transportation. This improvement added by Watt made life easier (in ways of transportation) for people to transport goods from one place to another.  As an outcome, the steam engine changed the world for people as we know it today. Without this invention, we wouldn’t have access to most machines in the world.

A WORLD WITHOUT STEAM ENGINES

What would it have looked like? Will the world be like it is? What was the importance of steam engines?

“Choo Choo”, my little cousin had said. He was playing with a train on rails. At that time, I did not know that some trains were run on steam, whether they were called a locomotive, whether it was useful back in the past or even whether it was still used in some places in the world. So, let's dive further into this.

Imagine a world in which steam engines were not built. We wouldn’t have the freedom of travelling from one country to another as we have today, and the goods we order from abroad would not arrive. We wouldn’t be able to use steamboats to voyage across the seas or fly from one country to another. This shows that the invention of the steam engine is actually vital to world history and is used in all sorts of applications.

The first engine was created by Thomas Savery in 1698. This first steam engine was not that much of use, but then, Thomas Newcomen, in 1712 (7 years later), made adjustments and designed an engine which could be used and was used to extract water from the mines. The steam engine was most conveniently operated in 1778 when James Watt made better improvements, and this improved steam engine was used worldwide and was very common within England Factories.

The Steam engine, of course, uses steam for it to function. In order to operate, the engine uses boiling water to push the piston (otherwise pistons) back and forth. This movement is used to make power in a machine or, in this case, to turn the wheel. As the pressure increases, the pistons are pushed back and forth more rapidly, causing the wheel to turn faster, thus increasing the speed of the engine.

Since the Steam engine was invented during the industrial revolution, it opened up numerous ways of its use, people used this wisely. Coal miners would often experience their mines flooded with water. To stop this cause, the steam engine was placed to pump water out of the mine so the workers could easily mine coal. Another use that the people had grabbed was making steam locomotives and steamboats. Steamboats were created in 1787 by John Fitch. These inventions helped people carry materials to far places on locomotives and boats.

Steam locomotives were first developed in The United Kingdom during the early 19th century by Richard Trevithick. Steam locomotives are actually anything that uses a rail to be transported. These locomotives changed the world in an unexpected way. Travelling goods were much more efficient and swifter than exchanging goods from one country (or city) to another. The first successful steam engine that carried passengers was built in 1825 by George Stephenson.

The steam engine had a big effect on the world as we know it. If steam engines were not built, we wouldn’t be able to exchange goods, travel the world or even be able to play trains as kids. This illustrates the importance of steam engines both now and then in the past, and that is what a steam engine is.

References:

https://worldwiderails.com/how-did-the-steam-locomotive-change-transportation/ More about how trains work and about rails.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_steam_engine#:~:text=In%201712%2C%20Thomas%20Newcomen's,water%20out%20of%20coal%20mines. - How it works and about its history

https://www.thoughtco.com/steam-engines-history-1991933#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20an%20engine,%2C%20factories%2C%20and%20even%20cars. - More about how it works, how it is today, what was its purpose

https://lisbdnet.com/how-the-steam-engine-changed-the-world/#:~:text=Steam%20 engines%20make%20it%20 possible,of%20many%20of%20the%20citizens. - Its importance, how it affected the world, and more about it.

Author biography

Maira Masaaidh is a 09-liner who was born in the Maldives, is an only child and loves to spend time with friends and family. She currently studies at Billabong High International School, and she likes to read a lot of books, mostly thriller, fantasy, and murder mystery-themed books. In her free time, she likes listening to music, making something new, binge-watching Tv shows or movies and even playing video games. She adores skating and would one day love to travel the world.

Cite this article as:

Maira Mohamed Masaaidh, The Steam Engine,theCircle Composition, Volume 2, (2022).https://thecirclecomposition.org/the-steam-engine/