Assignment:
Question
A. Have you ever been on an airplane? When airplanes move through the air, they become slightly charged. Explain how. (Airplanes must be grounded after they land so departing passengers won't get shocked.)
B. When two light bulbs are connected in series, Bulb A is brighter than Bulb B. If the positions of the bulbs were reversed, which of the following is true: Bulb A would still be brighter or Bulb B would be brighter since it is first in the series? Explain.
C. An electrical motor uses the principles of electromagnetism to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy (motion). When a current-carry coil of wire is placed in a magnetic field there is a force on the wire that causes it to rotate. A generator is the reverse of a motor using electromagnetic induction to convert mechanical energy (motion) to electricity. Describe how a generator works.
There are several battery-less flashlights available now that are basically generators. One such flashlight design consists of a coil of wire and a magnet that moves up and down through the coil as you shake the flashlight to charge it. How does this work?