... explore: Analyse with this animation, how your salt accumulator works!
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Explanations: What happens in your salt accumulator? |
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| What is an electric current? The electric current is a directed movement of electric charge. The carriers of the charge are electrons, eg. as in a metal or in a vacuum. However, the charge carriers can also be ions, eg. in a electrolyte such as salt water. The effects of the water include thermal, magnetic and chemical effects and luminous phenomena in gases. |
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How does current flow? In physics and technology, the current direction is defined as the direction in which an electric current flows from the positive pole to the negative pole (red arrows). On the other hand, within the current or voltage sources, the electron current flows from the negative to the positive pole (green arrows). . |
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To illustrate: Circuit with ionic and electronic conduction in a series circuit consisting of a battery (power source), ion conductor (electrolyte, saline solution in a container) and a bulb (lit up by the current). The red arrows indicate the direction of the electric current (=technical current direction"). The green arrows indicate the direction of the flow inside the negatively charged carriers. In the metal wire, these are electrons in the saline solution, ions. |
In the following, we restrict ourselves the inner direction of flow of the electrons (green arrows). |
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When and why does current flow? On each battery (power source), is a spot where an electron deficiency was generated, the (+) positive pole. On the (-) negative pole, on the other hand, there is an excess of electrons. The eloctrons on the negative pole sit there "loosely" and want to immediately compensate (neutralise) the difference in charge (voltage) by migrating to the positive pole (+). In the battery (power source), they cannot, because the distance between the negative and positive poles is too big and the air forms a too great resistance. As soon as we connect the two poles with a conductor, immediate compensation occurs -eg. in a short circuit- and the power is dissipated in a short amount of time, the battery is "empty". Both poles have now the same charge, they are both neutral... there is no more power... and no more electric current... The principle of current flow is therefore based on the property that electrons are always striving for a neutral and balanced state. The current is measured in terms of number of particles that move at the same time through a conductor. |
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Why does current bring a bulb to shine? How can the movement of electrons make a bulb shine? In a circuit, the electric power from the battery (power source) becomes "consumer", is transported to the lamp and transformed into light. The fine wire in the bulb forms an obstacle in the path of the electrons (resistance). They accumulate at the "start" of the wire but must eventually pass. They rub against each other and a part of their electric energy is converted into heat. The wire inside the bulb transforms part of this energy into light. |
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For electric power, as for any other form of energy, the principle of "conservation of energy" applies. In our case this means: The devices that we operate with electricity "consume" the "electric form" of electricity and not the energy itself. The energy is not consumed but only converted into other forms of energy such as: light, heat or kinetic energy... |
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Why does current make an electromotor rotate? |
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What does this mean for the explore-it salt-accumulator? The salt-accumulator works similarly to a rechargeable power source (battery). It basically consists of three parts: a graphite stick, an aluminium casting and salt water as an electrolyte. The fleece prevents the graphite stick and the aluminium casting to have direct contact, but still allows the ions in the salt water to circulate freely between the graphite stick and the aluminium shell and therefor form, under the influence of electricity, a chemical reaction in the plastic tube.. |
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By connecting the energy source (battery) to the aluminium ring and the graphite stick, we close the electric circuit. Chemical processes are induced by the electric flow in the course of which an excess of electrons is formed on the aluminium. This create a tension between the aluminium ring (negative pole) et the graphite stick (positive pole). |
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The signs of the chemical reactions are the formation of bubble around the aluminium ring, the smell of gas and a slight discoloration on the aluminium and the salt water. The bigger the excess of electrons around the aluminium ring (negative pole), the bigger the lack of electrons around the graphite stick, the bigger the electric tension between the ring and the stick. The felt prevents the uneven distribution of the electrons (tension) between the ring and the stick to be immediately compensated. |
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After being charged, the salt-accumulator behaves like a "battery". In the circuit shown above, the electric energy of the source (the salt-accumulator) becomes a "consumer" and is transported to the LED and transformed into light. The LED (Light Emitting Diode) tells us, in contrast to the electric motor, the direction in which the electrons flow. The LED, as the name implies, is a Diode. Diodes only allow the current in the direction of the anode (+, long leg) to the cathode (-). |
The special thin about our saline "battery" is that it can be quickly recharged and this, many times. That is why we speak of a battery - something that can accumulate electrons until they are recuperated... |
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The energy converter works especially well in the holidays, with sea salt water! |
| Zur Batterie-Herstellung und Funktionsweise einer Batterie empfehlen wir „die Sendung mit der Maus- Batterie (Sachgeschichten 2006)“ zu finden z.B unter http://www.wdrmaus.de/sachgeschichten/sachgeschichten/batterie_1_2.php5 | |
