thermoelectricity
Temperature-difference power generation
Thermoelectricity is electricity generated directly from heat differences between two materials.
When two different metals or semiconductors are joined and their junctions kept at different temperatures, a voltage appears.
The effect works in reverse too—running current through such a junction can heat or cool it.
Thermoelectric devices power spacecraft and cool portable refrigerators: The probe's thermoelectricity came from decaying plutonium.
Science of heat-energy relationships
- solid-stateUsing semiconductors, not tubes
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- quantumSmallest discrete unit
- entropyQuantified chaos in systems
Series-connected temperature-sensing junctions
- solid-stateUsing semiconductors, not tubes
- moduleIndependent functional component
- transducerEnergy form converter
- converterDevice that transforms input
Partial electrical conductor
French thermodynamics founder
- optimizationMaximizing efficiency or performance
- performanceCarrying out a task
- entropyQuantified chaos in systems
- irreversibilityState of being permanent
thermodynamics
Science of heat-energy relationships
- solid-stateUsing semiconductors, not tubes
- electronNegative subatomic particle
- quantumSmallest discrete unit
thermopile
Series-connected temperature-sensing junctions
- solid-stateUsing semiconductors, not tubes
- moduleIndependent functional component
- transducerEnergy form converter
semiconductor
Partial electrical conductor
Carnot
French thermodynamics founder
- optimizationMaximizing efficiency or performance
- performanceCarrying out a task
- entropyQuantified chaos in systems
automotive
Relating to motor vehicles
- off-gridWithout utility connections
Thomson
Scottish hereditary name
- electromotiveProducing electrical potential difference
- electrical propertiesresistivity, conductivity, capacitance, impedance, inductance
thermoelectricityphotovoltaics
Light-to-current energy technology
piezoelectricity · hydroelectricity · wind power · nuclear power · electromagnetic induction
electric, electricity, electronic, thermal, electrical, thermometer, electrode, geothermal, electronically