Thermodynamics

Convection ovens, solar power, and thermocouples.

Convection Ovens

• Instead of heating the food from the bottom (like a regular oven does), a convection oven uses a built-in fan to circulate the hot air through the cooking area. Food heats faster because the moving air strips away the thin layer of air which otherwise would surround and insulate the food. The heat is also distributed more evenly, without "hot spots". Food cooked in a convection oven rarely burns and comes out nice, crispy and evenly cooked.

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Solar Power

• Whether on a solar-powered calculator or an international space station, solar panels generate electricity using the same principles of electronics as chemical batteries or standard electrical outlets. With solar panels, it's all about the free flow of electrons through a circuit.

Basic how it works

• Photons in sunlight hit the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials, such as silicon.

• Electrons (negatively charged) are knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through the material to produce electricity. Due to the special composition of solar cells, the electrons are only allowed to move in a single direction.

• An array of solar cells converts solar energy into a usable amount of direct current (DC) electricity.

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Thermocouples: what are they?

a kind of thermometer consisting of two wires of different metals that are joined at both ends; one junction is at the temperature to be measured and the other is held at a fixed lower temperature; the current generated in the circuit is proportional to the temperature difference

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What are they used for?

• Thermocouples are suitable for measuring over a large temperature range, up to 2300 °C

• They are used in the steel industry, heating appliance safety, for testing electronics, and even in radiation sensors.

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