Who discovered piezoelectricity?

The discovery of piezoelectricity is credited to the Curie brothers, Pierre and Jacques Curie, who made significant contributions to the field of crystallography in the late 19th century. They observed that certain crystals, when subjected to mechanical stress, generate an electric charge. This phenomenon is known as piezoelectricity and is fundamental in various applications, including ultrasound technology used in diagnostic medical sonography.

The work of the Curie brothers laid the groundwork for understanding the relationship between mechanical pressure and electric charge in materials, which is critical for the development of piezoelectric transducers. These transducers are widely used in ultrasound machines to convert electrical signals into sound waves and vice versa. Their discovery has had lasting implications across multiple fields, including medical imaging, telecommunications, and sensor technology.

In contrast, the contributions of the other figures listed do not pertain to piezoelectricity. Michael Faraday is known for his work in electromagnetism and electrochemistry, Isaac Newton is famous for his laws of motion and optics, and James Clerk Maxwell is recognized for formulating the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation. Each made significant scientific contributions, but they did not discover piezoelectricity.