Perhaps the first mechanical device used to convert energy into a more useful form was the

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The waterwheel is believed to be the first mechanical device used for energy conversion, dating back to ancient times. It used the kinetic energy of flowing water to turn the wheel, which in turn could power machinery such as grain mills. The steam engine came much later, in the 18th century, and was a significant development in the industrial revolution. The windmill, while also an early form of energy conversion, was primarily used for grain milling and irrigation rather than powering machinery directly. The nuclear reactor is a much more recent invention, first developed in the mid-20th century, and is not considered one of the earliest mechanical devices for energy conversion.

Perhaps the First Mechanical Device Used to Convert Energy into a More