Final answer:
James Watt is generally credited with inventing the steam engine that had a significant impact on the Industrial Revolution due to his enhancements that improved its efficiency and practicality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The credit for inventing the steam engine that was widely adopted and significantly advanced the progress of the Industrial Revolution usually goes to James Watt. While the steam engine itself was not Watt's original invention, he made critical improvements that greatly increased its efficiency and effectiveness. Watt developed a version of the steam engine that not only required less fuel but also converted reciprocal motion to circular motion, making it immensely useful for a wide range of industrial applications. His first commercial steam engine was installed in 1776, and as his designs evolved, he became a very wealthy man, with his name later being used as the SI unit of power, the watt.