As time progressed, so has technology and discoveries that are responsible for societal development. The poeple who are responsible for these ideas should not go unrecognized. One such man is German physicist johann Wilhelm Ritter.

    Johann Ritter was born on december sixteenth, 1776, in Samitz bel Haynau Silesia, which is now Poland. Ritter devoted most of his efforts to study of electricity and elecrochemistry. However, his main discoveery was the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. He believed it " broadened man's view beyond the narrow region of visible light to encompass the entire electromagnetic spectrum from the shortest gamma rays to the longest radio waves." (Encyclopedia Brittanica, vol.10.c. Internaional union, pp.90.) Related to his discovery of ultraviolet light, in 1801, he discovered that silver chloride decomposes in the presence of light, and it decomposes even at a faster rate when exposed to the invisible light. This proved that there was unknown radiation beyond the violet end of the spectrum.
    Ritter was also fascinated with electricity and electrochemistry. In 1801 he observed thermoelectric currents. In 1802, he invented the dry voltic cell and the electrical storage battery the following year.
    Johann Wilhelm Ritter was a pharmacist from 1791 to 1795, studied at the university of Jena, and taught. Shortly after this he duplicated William Nicholson's experiment decomposing water into hydrogen by electrolysis in 1800. He decided to arrange the electrodes to collect the two gases sepaarately. This led to the discovery of electroplating.
    Ritter also was the one who suggsted that current was due to chemical interaction between he metals of an experiment. during his time, ritter was interested in experiments of electrical excitation of muscles and sensory organs as well as the electrophysiolog of plants. most of the success from these such studies was because o the use of his own body, even at high voltages. It is said that this type of work may have played a high personal toll on Ritter's body. he became very ill, and died on january 23rd, 1810 in muniel at the age of 33.
    Whether people realize it or not, Ritter in a sense has helped progress technology and helped people to protect themselves fro ultraviolet light and radiation which cause such skin cancers. He invented the dry voltic celland electric cell or the also commonly known as the battery. people are also able to use more compact-inventions.
    with discoveries and people like Johann Wilhelm Ritter , every inventions discovery contributes to a much greater contribution to society.