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electricity

Electricity and sensors

Article

Electricity and sensors

All materials are made up of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are made up of even smaller particles called protons, ...

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Make an electric motor

Activity

Make an electric motor

Three historic discoveries were instrumental in the development of electric motors – the invention of the battery by Alessandro Volta ...

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Electricity – electrons, insulators and conductors

Article

Electricity – electrons, insulators and conductors

The term ‘electricity’ comes from ‘elektron’, which is the Greek word for amber. The ancient Greeks discovered that small threads ...

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Static electricity and electrical charge

Article

Static electricity and electrical charge

An electrical charge is created when electrons are transferred to or removed from an object. Because electrons have a negative ...

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Bots vs Beings – the impacts of AI on life and work

Article

Bots vs Beings – the impacts of AI on life and work

Discussions of artificial intelligence (AI) are inseparable from questions of ethics. In 1942, Isaac Asimov famously popularised the idea that intelligent machines should adhere to a ...

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Driving us into the future

Article

Driving us into the future

This article documents the history of the electric car – first developed in 1890, and uses diagrams and text to explain the technology electric cars and ...

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The environmental footprint of electric versus fossil cars

Article

The environmental footprint of electric versus fossil cars

This article, written by Md Arif Hasan and Associate Professor Ralph Brougham Chapman from Environmental Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, is part of the Climate Explained ...

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Artificial sensors – question bank

Article

Artificial sensors – question bank

An inquiry approach is a method often used in science education. The question bank provides an initial list of questions about monitoring our environment using artificial ...

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Super sense – an introduction to artificial sensors

Article

Super sense – an introduction to artificial sensors

Monitoring our world using artificial sensors Artificial sensors enable us to overcome the limitations of our human senses and extend them in novel and useful ways, ...

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REV it UP – electric cars

Article

REV it UP – electric cars

REV it UP was a Taranaki-based Participatory Science Platform (PSP) project supported by the New Zealand Government. New Plymouth Boys’ High School and local engineering firm ...

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History of gases and plasmas – timeline

Article

History of gases and plasmas – timeline

Use this timeline for a look at some of the historical aspects in the development of our understanding of gases and plasmas. 1644 – Invention of ...

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Dr Eric Scharpf

Article

Dr Eric Scharpf

Position: Contract lecturer, University of Otago. Field: Energy management Eric grew up in the US as part of a family deeply involved in science and engineering. ...

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Professor Craig Rodger

Article

Professor Craig Rodger

Position: Professor, Head of Department of Physcis, University of Otago. Field: Space physics Craig developed a fascination for space science from a very early age. He ...

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Dr Steven Matthews

Article

Dr Steven Matthews

Position: Senior lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Auckland. Field: Plasma spray-coating, Chemical and materials engineering. Steven developed an interest in science while attending Western ...

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Plasma spray-coating

Article

Plasma spray-coating

The plasma spraying process involves the generation of a plasma jet, the injection and treatment of particles within the plasma jet and finally the formation of ...

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Diagram of a proton–proton chain reaction.

Article

Plasmas and nuclear fusion

Fusion is the process occurring within the plasma core of our Sun in which the nuclei of lighter atoms link to form a heavier atom. For ...

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Gaseous atmosphere

Article

Gaseous atmosphere

The Earth’s atmosphere is a layer of gases held close to its surface by gravity. It plays a crucial role in supporting plant and animal life, ...

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Lightning explained

Article

Lightning explained

Lightning is a large-scale natural spark discharge that occurs within the atmosphere or between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface. On discharge, a highly electrically conductive ...

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Image showing jagged forks of lightning during a storm.

Article

Lightning location network

Professor Craig Rodger became involved with the idea of locating lightning strikes when he was a student in the Space Physics group operating out of the ...

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Gases and plasmas – introduction

Article

Gases and plasmas – introduction

We live in a gaseous atmosphere and are influenced by its composition, behaviour and structure. Use is made of gas properties in our everyday lives – ...

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Gases and plasmas – key terms

Article

Gases and plasmas – key terms

We live in a gaseous atmosphere surrounded by plasma with plasma the fourth and most abundant state of matter. This resource provides explanations of the key ...

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Radical bike redesign

Article

Radical bike redesign

The YikeBike is a light, foldable, easily portable, electric bicycle. It is a radical redesign of the traditional bicycle. Christchurch inventor and entrepreneur Grant Ryan developed ...

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Heritage scientist timeline – Alan MacDiarmid

Article

Heritage scientist timeline – Alan MacDiarmid

Alan Graham MacDiarmid was born in Masterton, New Zealand, in 1927. Alan Graham MacDiarmid (1927–2007) was a chemist who, along with two others, discovered and developed ...

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Artificial sensors – key terms

Article

Artificial sensors – key terms

Artificial sensors and probes enable us to overcome the limitations of our human senses and extend them in novel and useful ways, using the scientific concepts ...

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The development of electrical sensors – timeline

Article

The development of electrical sensors – timeline

Artificial sensors and probes enable us to overcome the limitations of our human senses and extend them in novel and useful ways, using the scientific concepts ...

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Dr David Pairman

Article

Dr David Pairman

Position: Senior Research Leader, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Field: Remote Sensing Informatics Dr David Pairman’s initial bachelor’s degree was in electrical engineering (Canterbury University) where ...

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