化学

Aurora

化学 / By

How Does an Aurora Form? An aurora is a natural phenomenon caused by the interaction between high-energy particles (electrons) and neutral atoms in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. These high-energy particles can excite (by collisions) valence electrons that are bound to the neutral atom. The excited electrons can then return to their initial, lower energy state and release photons in the process. Auroras and the Solar Wind ▲ Auroras and the Solar Wind [2] As the solar wind approaches the Earth, it meets the Earth’s magnetic field. Without this magnetic field protecting the planet, the solar wind would blow away Earth’s fragile atmosphere. Most of the solar wind is blocked by …

Aurora もっと読む »

Lithium-Ion Battery

化学 / By

Introduction Lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide range of things such as smartphones, computers, robots, and most other electronics due to their ability to store a high power capacity. Lithium-ion batteries can charge very quickly, are long-lasting, and currently provide the best technology to power electronics. A lithium-ion battery is made up of lithium ions moving between the negative (anode) and positive (cathode) electrodes through electrolytes. ▲ iPhone’s Lithium-Ion Battery [1] ▲ Macbook’s Lithium-Ion Battery [2] How do Lithium-Ion Batteries Work? ▲ Structure of Lithium-Ion Batteries [3] A lithium-ion battery is made of mainly three sections which are the positive electrode (blue), the negative electrode (yellow), and the electrolyte …

Lithium-Ion Battery もっと読む »

Neuralink

化学、その他、物理 / By

Neuralink is a company that was created in an effort to “merge computers with human brains. They are developing a device—same name as the company—that will first be used to help paraplegics with simple tasks such as using an iPhone and making mouse clicks on a computer—by making no physical movement. It is essentially a chip connected to wires which fan out into the human brain, capable of both recording brain activity and stimulating it.

Fireworks

化学 / By

History of Fireworks Historians believe that fireworks were invented by the Chinese in the second century. Everything started off by an accident when people noticed that bamboo sticks in their bonfires exploded with a bang. This was caused due to the fast-growing bamboo trapping air inside its stalks. A huge reaction with light and sound was caused when oxygen came in contact with the fire.  Chinese alchemists made an improvement from this when they mixed together sulfur, potassium nitrate, arsenic disulfide, and honey. This was the first form of gunpowder. When the fire was set, the explosion was caused by the sulfur and honey as they acted as the energy …

Fireworks もっと読む »

再生可能エネルギー

化学、JP / By

Key Points Renewable energy currently accounts for about 27% of global electricity generation, but has a lower share in the heating and transport sector, resulting in a share of about 11% in global total energy consumption.  Currently, the largest renewable energy source is hydropower, but its growth is decelerating.  The renewable energy source with the fastest growth is wind power and solar power! Global Energy Usage Global primary energy consumption is increasing. If we look at the breakdown of sources of energy during the time period 1965 – 2018, oil consumption rose 2.5% annually on average, continuing to have the largest share (33.6% in 2018). Coal increased by 1.9% annually …

再生可能エネルギー もっと読む »

燃料電池

化学、Uncategorized / By

Unlike a battery, it does not store chemical or electrical energy; a fuel cell allows electrical energy to be extracted directly from a chemical reaction. When referring to fuel cells, the most commonly mentioned type is the PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) cell. This cell uses hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) as fuel to make electricity and water vapor. Oxygen is readily available in the atmosphere and hydrogen is gathered through the process of electrolysis of water.

天然ガス

化学、JP / By

Key Points Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel. It also is the quickest growing fossil fuel. Natural gas today accounts for about a quarter of global primary energy demand.  Alongside renewable energy sources, natural gas is considered as important to transition to a lower-carbon energy system. Global Energy Usage Global primary energy consumption is increasing. If we look at the breakdown of sources of energy during the time period 1965 – 2018, oil consumption rose 2.5% annually on average, continuing to have the largest share (33.6% in 2018). Coal increased by 1.9% annually on average (share of 27.2% in 2018). Natural gas consumption rose at a larger pace than …

天然ガス もっと読む »

バイオマスエネルギー

化学 / By

What is Biomass? In short, biomass is any plant or animal material that is used to create energy. There are 6 general types of biomass and they are agricultural crops & residue, forestry crops & residue, animal residues, industrial residues, municipal solid waste, and sewage. ▲Diagram of Biomass Sources [11] How is Biomass Used? Biomass like in the previous explanation, is used to create energy. There are 3 ways in which biomass are converted into energy: burning to create heat, converted into electricity, or processed into biofuel. Conversion by Burning When biomass is converted into energy via heat, it needs to go through a process called torrefaction. During torrefaction, biomass …

バイオマスエネルギー もっと読む »

なぜアルミニウムが最も安い金属となったか

8件のコメント / 化学 / By

Introduction Aluminum is used everywhere: from airplanes and batteries to window frames and house decor.  Perhaps you might even use it to wrap your steak after a barbeque.  Consequently, it might be surprising for one to hear that Aluminum used to be more valuable than gold, even being the most expensive metal on earth. Can’t get your head around this? Well, during the 1800s, Napoleon III demonstrated the nobility of aluminum when he served his state dinners on aluminum plates while the lower-ranked guests had their food on silver and gold. Clearly, aluminum was treated specially, but why was this so? Aluminum is and always was the most abundant metal …

なぜアルミニウムが最も安い金属となったか もっと読む »

アヘン

生物、化学 / By

History When told about opium, we don’t have a very optimistic view on it. However, taking a look at the roots of opium, people in the past were not as cautious as we are today. The earliest record of opium dates back to 3400 BCE in Mesopotamia (which is South Africa in the present). At the time, the Sumerians were the ones living in Mesopotamia. They named opium as “Hul Gil” which can be translated as “joy plant”. The Sumerians passed it to Assyrians who then spread it to Egyptians and with the help of the Silk Road, it reached China. From this, other countries started to see what opium …

アヘン もっと読む »

jaJapanese
en_USEnglish jaJapanese