If two materials are joined, and the junction is heated, electric current is generated. For instance, an steel wire and a copper wire, with the junction heated. Current flows while there is a temperature gradient within the wires. The phenomenon is called the thermoelectric effect or the Seebeck effect. It is also sometimes termed the Peltier ( Read more... )

Michael Faraday's book "The Forces of Matter" is my latest read. It is a transcript, with illustrations, of the series of six lectures for young people which Faraday gave at the Royal Institution during the 1859-60 Christmas holidays. Quite some time ago I read Faraday's "The Chemical History of a Candle", another series of juvenile Christmas ( Read more... )

Happy new year! On Monday Jan 3rd I start the next term at university, so it's a good moment to review ( Read more... )

Last week, my electromagnetics instructor used an absolutely brilliant teaching method. It was the middle of 2nd week of classes, and the students were starting to feel fairly draggy - the room was only half-full at the opening, and the last people arrived at 6 minutes past ( Read more... )

Yesterday, David Griffiths' book "Introduction to Electrodynamics" arrived at the bookstore and I started reading it. It's a real pleasure - he has a nice writing style, and reading his book feels like one is attending lectures by a very good educator. And I like the electomagnetics content too ( Read more... )