Comprehensive Catalog 2016

STEM IN CURRENT EVENTS

In educational circles, the studies of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have never been hotter. But that is only a reflection of the growing importance of those fields to just about every aspect of our existence. In this series, each title will focus on one area of our shared experience and provide examples, stories, and insight into how STEM is having an impact. WHETHER IN ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION, MEDICINE, OR EVEN ENTERTAINMENT, STEM SKILLS ARE CHANGING OUR WORLD . . .

EVERY DAY. KEEP UP ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS— AND FIND WAYS TO CHALLENGE YOUR OWN SKILLS—WITH STEM IN CURRENT EVENTS. Actual Text Size The idea of collecting energy from the sun to create electrici ty isn’t new. In 1839, a young French scientist named Edmond Becquerel exposed certainmetal electrodes to light and created small amounts of electricity. The substances absorbed the light and then released electrons, which can be captured to create an electric current. Becquerel’s discovery was later called the photovoltaic or photoelectric effect—“photo” referring to light.

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STEM IN CURRENT EVENTS

Science and Energy

reactorsrelyonmagneticfields toheatplasma insideachamber andkeep thefusionprocessgoing.Thesefieldsare typicallycre- atedby largecoilsoutside thereactor.In thedynomak,electrical currentgoesdirectly intotheplasmatocreatethemagneticfields, resulting in a simpler and cheaper reactor. Jarboeandhis teamcreated theirdesignforareactoraboutone- tenth the sizeofone thatwouldbeused to createelectricity for consumers.They hope to increase the size of their test models

to prove that the dynomak will safely and efficiently produce energy, at a cheaper cost than a coal-fired plant. “Right now,” Jarboe said in a University of Washington press release, “this designhas thegreatestpotentialofproducingeconomicalfusion power of any current concept.” Building Better Solar Panels The idea of collecting energy from the sun to create electrici- ty isn’t new. In 1839, a young French scientist named Edmond Becquerelexposedcertainmetal electrodes to lightandcreated small amounts of electricity.The substances absorbed the light and then released electrons, which can be captured to create an electric current. Becquerel’s discovery was later called the photovoltaic or photoelectric effect—“photo” referring to light. Today’ssolarpanelsaremadeupof individualunitscalledpho- tovoltaiccells,which typicallyusesilicon tocapturesunlightand convert it toelectricity.Butaswith thematerialsBecquerelused in the19th century,silicon isnot completelyefficientat turning all the sun’s energy into electricity.The cells used in the typical home solarpanelmightbeable to convert just15percentor so of theenergy intoausable form.Scientists, though, thinkanew kindofmaterialcanmakesolarcells thataremoreefficientand cheaper thancurrentphotovoltaiccells.Thenewcellsaremade from materials called hybrid perovskites. In experiments in the lab, scientists learned that perovskites that contained a halide compound (halogen mixed with one of a number of different elements) had photoelectric properties.

Dr.Thomas Jarboe led the teamthatcreatedthismodelofadynomak,whichuses plasmatohelpgenerateelectricitymuchmorequicklyandcheaply.

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