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If it weren’t for physics, rechargeable smartphones wouldn’t be a reality. One recent innovation in smartphone technology has taken the recharging concept to the next level. The battery in your phone is rechargeable because it can both absorb and emit electricity, unlike a standard battery that is capable of producing only chemical reactions that generate electricity. When you plug your phone charger into a power source, the charging receptacle receives electrical current from your city’s grid. Then, the energy is passed through wires and fed into the battery on your smartphone. When electricity passes through these wires, it is called a current. When the current enters a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, chemical reactions absorb power. The greater the current (and the voltage) or the amount of electricity flowing into the phone’s battery, the faster it charges. Physics plays a vital role in smartphones as we know them today. Without understanding its properties, wireless capability and many other advancements would not be possible. The next time you pull out your smartphone, remember the science of what’s going on—the work of many scientists and physicists has probably paved the way for internet surfing and the online shopping that you are so accustomed to. SMARTPHONES AND CHEMISTRY The science behind smartphones doesn’t stop with astronomy and physics. Chemistry represents another branch of science that makes smartphones so great. You might be surprised at all the capabilities your phone has that chemistry is responsible for. Everything from your phone’s speakers, vibration settings, and touchscreen, all the way down to the circuits that make up the internal pieces can all be attributed to this branch of science.

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SCIENCE IN SMARTPHONES

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