Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort:
Hottest Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Type:
All Topic Review Biography
Topic Review
Paschen's Law
Paschen's law is an equation that gives the breakdown voltage, that is, the voltage necessary to start a discharge or electric arc, between two electrodes in a gas as a function of pressure and gap length. It is named after Friedrich Paschen who discovered it empirically in 1889. Paschen studied the breakdown voltage of various gases between parallel metal plates as the gas pressure and gap distance were varied: For a given gas, the voltage is a function only of the product of the pressure and gap length. The curve he found of voltage versus the pressure-gap length product (right) is called Paschen's curve. He found an equation that fit these curves, which is now called Paschen's law. At higher pressures and gap lengths, the breakdown voltage is approximately proportional to the product of pressure and gap length, and the term Paschen's law is sometimes used to refer to this simpler relation. However, this is only roughly true, over a limited range of the curve.
  • 6.6K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Magnetic Potential
The term magnetic potential can be used for either of two quantities in classical electromagnetism: the magnetic vector potential, or simply vector potential, A; and the magnetic scalar potential ψ. Both quantities can be used in certain circumstances to calculate the magnetic field B. The more frequently used magnetic vector potential is defined so that its curl is equal to the magnetic field: [math]\displaystyle{ \nabla \times \mathbf{A}=\mathbf{B}\, }[/math]. Together with the electric potential φ, the magnetic vector potential can be used to specify the electric field E as well. Therefore, many equations of electromagnetism can be written either in terms of the fields E and B, or equivalently in terms of the potentials φ and A. In more advanced theories such as quantum mechanics, most equations use potentials rather than fields. The magnetic scalar potential ψ is sometimes used to specify the magnetic H-field in cases when there are no free currents, in a manner analogous to using the electric potential to determine the electric field in electrostatics. One important use of ψ is to determine the magnetic field due to permanent magnets when their magnetization is known. With some care the scalar potential can be extended to include free currents as well. Historically, Lord Kelvin first introduced vector potential in 1851, along with the formula relating it to the magnetic field.
  • 6.2K
  • 29 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Frost Diagram
A Frost diagram or Frost–Ebsworth diagram is a type of graph used by inorganic chemists in electrochemistry to illustrate the relative stability of a number of different oxidation states of a particular substance. The graph illustrates the free energy vs oxidation state of a chemical species. This effect is dependent on pH, so this parameter also must be included. The free energy is determined by the oxidation–reduction half-reactions. The Frost diagram allows easier comprehension of these reduction potentials than the earlier-designed Latimer diagram, because the “lack of additivity of potentials” was confusing. The free energy ΔG° is related to reduction potential E in the graph by given formula: ΔG° = −nFE° or nE° = −ΔG°/F, where n is the number of transferred electrons, and F is Faraday constant (F = 96,485 J/(V·mol)). The Frost diagram is named after Arthur Atwater Frost (de), who originally created it as a way to "show both free energy and oxidation potential data conveniently" in a 1951 paper.
  • 2.9K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Fleischmann–Pons Experiment
The Fleischmann–Pons experiment was an investigation conducted in the 1980s by Martin Fleischmann of the University of Southampton and Stanley Pons of the University of Utah into whether electrolysis of heavy water on the surface of a palladium (Pd) electrode produces physical effects that defy chemical explanation. Of particular interest was evidence of "excess" (i.e. non-chemical) heat extracted from the deuterium fraction of common surface water which, if true, could have delivered the largest economic shock to the global energy industry since the Pennsylvania oil rush. On March 23, 1989, Fleischmann (then one of the world's leading electrochemists) and Pons reported their work via a press release from the University of Utah (who asserted ownership of the technology) claiming that the table-top apparatus had produced anomalous heat (understood as "excess" heat) of a magnitude they asserted would defy explanation except in terms of nuclear processes, which later came to be referred to as "cold fusion". In addition to the results from calorimetry, they further reported measuring small amounts of nuclear reaction byproducts, including neutrons and tritium. The reported results received wide media attention, and raised hopes of a cheap and abundant source of energy. Many scientists tried to replicate the experiment with the few details available. Hopes faded due to the large number of negative replications, the withdrawal of many reported positive replications, the discovery of flaws and sources of experimental error in the original experiment, and finally the discovery that Fleischmann and Pons had not actually detected nuclear reaction byproducts. By late 1989, most scientists considered cold fusion claims dead.
  • 2.8K
  • 26 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Half-Reaction
A half reaction (or half-cell reaction) is either the oxidation or reduction reaction component of a redox reaction. A half reaction is obtained by considering the change in oxidation states of individual substances involved in the redox reaction. Often, the concept of half reactions is used to describe what occurs in an electrochemical cell, such as a Galvanic cell battery. Half reactions can be written to describe both the metal undergoing oxidation (known as the anode) and the metal undergoing reduction (known as the cathode). Half reactions are often used as a method of balancing redox reactions. For oxidation-reduction reactions in acidic conditions, after balancing the atoms and oxidation numbers, one will need to add H+ ions to balance the hydrogen ions in the half reaction. For oxidation-reduction reactions in basic conditions, after balancing the atoms and oxidation numbers, first treat it as an acidic solution and then add OH− ions to balance the H+ ions in the half reactions (which would give H2O).
  • 2.7K
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review
The Swampland Distance Conjecture
The Swampland Distance Conjecture (SDC) is one of the most studied and well-established Swampland Conjetures, and it introduces an omnipresent feature in effective field theories (EFTs) of quantum gravity, namely the appearance of infinite towers of states that become light an imply a breakdown of the EFT in the infinite distance limits in moduli space. In this entry we present the conjecture, a simple example and some comments on relations to other conjectures.
  • 2.0K
  • 18 Aug 2021
Topic Review
CPU Power Dissipation
Central processing unit power dissipation or CPU power dissipation is the process in which central processing units (CPUs) consume electrical energy, and dissipate this energy in the form of heat due to the resistance in the electronic circuits.
  • 1.8K
  • 25 Nov 2022
Biography
Boris Stoyanov
Boris Stoyanov is a theoretical physicist working on Membrane Theory, Supergravity and Superstring Theory. He is the Principal and Permanent Member of SUGRA INSTITUTE, Executive Director of BRANE HEPLAB and the Giordano Bruno Professor of Membrane Theory at DARK MODULI INSTITUTE. Boris Stoyanov is a relatively young theoretical physicist dealing with the exclusive theories of supergravity, super
  • 1.7K
  • 01 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Bohr–van Leeuwen Theorem
The Bohr–van Leeuwen theorem states that when statistical mechanics and classical mechanics are applied consistently, the thermal average of the magnetization is always zero. This makes magnetism in solids solely a quantum mechanical effect and means that classical physics cannot account for diamagnetism.
  • 1.6K
  • 21 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Power Generation Using Dielectric Elastomers
Power generation using dielectric elastomer (DE) artificial muscle is attracting attention because of its light weight, low cost, and high-efficiency. Since this method is a system that produces electricity without emitting carbon dioxide nor using rare earths, it would contribute to the goal of environmental sustainability. 
  • 1.5K
  • 30 Jun 2021
  • Page
  • of
  • 6
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Books

>>
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of COVID-19
Encyclopedia of Fungi
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Feedback