Category Science & Technology

               Any modern electrical device requires a huge number of connections to join together all the small components needed for it to work effectively. At one time these connections were made by wires that had to be soldered together. The wires have now been replaced by the printed circuit, which is effectively a picture of the wiring that works just as well.

               A thin sheet of copper is attached to a special board made of insulating material. An image of the electrical circuit is then printed photographically onto the copper sheet. Chemicals are used to dissolve most of the copper, leaving behind a thin film of metal bands, to which all the necessary components can be attached. This process can be carried out automatically.

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               Radio signals are transmitted using a carrier wave. A radio transmitter changes, or modulates, this radio wave in order to convey information. In AM radio the height of the carrier wave is altered according to the sound picked up by a microphone. In FM radio the frequency, or distance between the peaks in the radio wave, is changed. The radio receiver picks up these signals and amplifies and decodes them. If the signal is weak, AM radio sounds crackly. It is now being replaced by FM radio, which gives much clearer reception.

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               Radio waves form part of the electromagnetic spectrum. They are not part of the visible spectrum of light, and they have even longer wavelengths than infrared radiation. Radio waves with the longest wavelengths are bounced off a layer high up in the Earth’s atmosphere, called the ionosphere. In this way radio messages can be bounced for very long distances. Radio waves with shorter wavelengths penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere completely and can be used to communicate with spacecraft.

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               Many animals migrate for very long distances, but they arrive back at their birthplace in order to breed. This behaviour has puzzled scientists for many years, but they have now found that many of these creatures contain tiny particles of magnetite in special organs, allowing them to orientate themselves accurately.

               Magnetic navigation alone is not enough to account for the amazing ability of these animals to find their way over vast distances. It is thought that they also use other navigation aids, such as the position of the Sun, to help them.

Picture credit: google

               Some experimental trains have been made to float a few centimeters above the ground by using a system of electromagnetic coils embedded in the track. Electromagnetic force can also be made to propel these trains. They have no wheels, so there is very little friction to waste energy. This magnetic propulsion system, which is completely silent, is called magnetic levitation.

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               Electromagnets only produce magnetism when an electrical current passes through them. They usually consist of a metal core made of iron or a similar material, around which are wrapped many coils of thin insulated wire. The metal core becomes magnetized when an electric current passes through the wire coil, but the effect disappears immediately the current is shut off. Very powerful electromagnets can be created by using many coils and strong electrical currents.