The first practical electric tram system was invented by which engineer?

Introduction / Context:
Electric trams were an important step in the evolution of public transport, allowing cities to move away from horse drawn vehicles. This question asks you to identify the engineer who first demonstrated an electric tram system, Fyodor Pirotsky. Knowledge of such transport milestones strengthens understanding of how electricity changed everyday urban life.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The invention in question is the electric tram.
• Options include James Cook, William Harvey, Fyodor Pirotsky, and Robert Boyles.
• We assume that the learner can eliminate names tied to navigation, medicine, and physics in order to focus on the correct engineer of electric traction.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recognise that Pirotsky experimented with electric traction on existing railway tracks, thus creating an early electric tram concept. James Cook is a navigator and explorer, William Harvey studied blood circulation, and Robert Boyle is linked to gas laws and chemistry. None of these three are associated with electric public transport. Therefore, matching the context of urban electric trams with Fyodor Pirotsky quickly yields the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on electric tram as a form of electrically powered rail vehicle used in streets.
Step 2: Recall that Fyodor Pirotsky, a Russian engineer, carried out early experiments that demonstrated electric traction on railway lines, effectively creating the first electric tram.
Step 3: Recognise that James Cook was a British explorer who mapped many parts of the world but did not work on electrical engineering.
Step 4: Understand that William Harvey discovered the circulation of blood, which belongs to biology and medicine, not transport technology.
Step 5: Note that Robert Boyle developed Boyle's law in gas physics and is unrelated to electric tram systems.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can confirm the answer by recalling that many exam oriented notes on inventions mention Pirotsky in connection with the electric tram. When you compare this with textbooks on navigation, medicine, or classical physics, you will see Cook, Harvey, and Boyle in completely different contexts. This clear separation of fields provides a strong check that Pirotsky is the only choice compatible with electric tram history.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
James Cook is wrong because he was a navigator and explorer, not an engineer of electric transport. William Harvey is wrong because he studied the human circulatory system and has no link to trams. Robert Boyles in the options refers to Robert Boyle, noted for his work on gases, who again has no connection with urban electric rail systems. Therefore, these three names must be eliminated when solving the question.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is unfamiliarity with Pirotsky's name, which can make the correct option look strange and lead students to choose a more familiar scientist. However, familiarity does not mean correctness. In inventions questions, the less familiar but contextually appropriate name is often the right one. To avoid errors, prepare a focused list of transport related inventors and review it regularly so that Pirotsky and others become easier to recognise under exam pressure.

Final Answer:
The electric tram was invented by Fyodor Pirotsky.