Instructions
Initial Reply due by Thursday Mar 20th at 11:59pm | Second Reply due by Sunday Mar 23rd at 11:59pm
In this module we learned about creating potential differences (voltages). In the physical world (i.e. working with real materials, instead of discussing single floating protons in an otherwise empty void), the creation of a potential difference boils down to separating some charges from each other in one way or another.
- Pick any form of creating a potential difference.
- There are lots of options. Some you might be very familiar with, and some you might not know of:
- batteries, generators, solar cells, thermoelectrics, piezoelectrics, chemical reactions, friction (triboelectrics), capacitors (this one is a bit cheaty- it needs an electric current to make the charges accumulate)
- There are lots of options. Some you might be very familiar with, and some you might not know of:
- Once you have your topic, briefly research that example then you will reply here describing/ explaining it.
- Explain the mechanism that causes the charges to separate.
- How do they separate? (i.e. Do they separate due to an applied electric field? Do they separate due to some atoms attracting certain charges more than others? Do they separate due to being physically moved? Etc)
- This initial reply is worth 5 points
- Reply to at least one other student to discuss their example.
- Find an initial reply that you find at least mildly interesting.
- Reply to that topic discussing the potential of that process working in reverse.
- This is a hypothetical discussion- you do not have to prove whether or not their mechanism can be or should be reversible.
- It is worth noting that many of the mechanisms that generate a potential difference are either directly, or with slight modifications indirectly, reversible.
- If this reversed process sounds familiar, name the process!
- What does reverse mean?
- If we are discussing, suppose, a chemical battery, then the first post might mention that a chemical battery works by having two different materials separated by an electrolyte. It would likely mention that one material would move charged ions through the electrolyte to the other material. This results in a separation of charges, as those ions leave one electrode to build up on another electrode. This separation of charges results in a potential difference between electrodes.
- In reverse? Can an applied potential difference cause ions to move through a solution, coating an object in those ions? This sounds an awful lot like electroplatingLinks to an external site.. Then go in to detail about electroplating, what is necessary to make it work, and how it is or is not like a battery.
- Include potential uses for the proposed reversed process.
- This second reply is worth 5 points.
- Ensure you are subscribed to the discussion, so you remember to come back and view the replies to your post!
Submission
To reply to the discussion, click "Reply" on the main instruction page and type your paragraph into the text submission box. To post your video, click the "Links" button above the text box. Once you are done forming your response, click "Post Reply."