Generating Electricity

​(more than one way to skin a cat...not that you should though)

Electricity can be generated with
-interactions of coils and magnetic fields through motion
-different chemical solutions can give a bit of a shock
-solar cells can harness the sun's energy to provide power

Require a coil being rotated in a magnetic field
This will induce a current in the coil that can then be used to power a load
Alternating Current generators are a little different!

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​Direct Current (DC) Generators

Right Hand Palm rule can tell you the direction of the current. I'll show you once- you will see this in Year 12 Physics

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​EXTENSION!

Power plants

Whether they be wind powered, coal powered, nuclear powered or hydropowered plants- they all need to rotate a coil in a magentic field- this generates the power you and I need to run our devices, charge our electric cars, run our trains and trams.
Some are more efficient than others and some are more environmentally friendly than others
It's a tough balance!

As long as there is wind, there should be power
How green is this really?
You still have to mine the materials to construct the wind turbine...and once it is finished its lifetime....it's landfill

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Perhaps the cleanest of all power generators, hydropower uses gravity to generate power.
Only one problem...
you need a lot of water!

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Solar cells require special elements that respond to the sun's rays and displace electrons to generate a current- no turbines here!
Very efficient if and only if you have a battery that can store the power generated.
Needs sunlight! No light, no power.

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Chemical Cells

​Produce a kick....but it's a little too small!

Using chemistry to generate electricity is a very old trick
Certain metals in certain solutions can generate small voltages (1.5V) to about 9V
Car batteries, which rely on sulfuric acid, can generate about 12V.
They are dangerous because of the chemicals needed

Two different metal plates (one is the cathode (+) and the other is the anode (-)) are immersed in a solution (sulfuric acid) to generate power be allowing ions to flow between the cathode and anode (Year 11 Chemistry!)

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This is a simple Galvanic cell- features include
-anode
-cathode
-a salt bridge
-an electrolyte (solution)
-an external circuit

It is how jewellers can plate metals with gold and silver!
Different combinations produce different voltages and outcomes

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