Liquid/organic circuits (14)

1 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-01-27 17:25 ID:pHQBkMFw

Everyone has heard that water is an excellent conductor of electricity right? Well, if it's such a good conductor, why isn't it used in circuits? I've never heard of water or other conductive liquids being used in an actual circuit, or used in wires to transport current. Could it be done? Do you think it would be more efficient than using metal?

2 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-01-27 22:27 ID:9ubzZloM

Because water molecules are too small to bring together in a stable manner. We're still working on stuff as large as graphite, FFS.

3 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-01-28 19:14 ID:bDFsfBCc

event then... copper is inexpensive and the second best conductor out there.

4 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-01-29 21:22 ID:XASQGcSD

Water is actually a very poor conductor of electricity. It can only conduct electricity if there are impurities in the water. If im not mistaken, some of these impurities ionise in the water, and it is the movement of these charged solutes, and not the water, which causes electricity to be conducted.

Water also can only conduct electricity in the liquid state. its also fairly reactive. since its a liquid, its a pain in the ass to handle because it needs an airtight container, etc. no, theres no real reason to use water over copper except for the differenc ein abundance.

5 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-02-04 16:35 ID:QjxGUn1Q

>>4
What if we used jello?

6 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-02-05 21:59 ID:vO8zbYW0

>>5
cuz it just doesn work...
BTW,even salt solution is still a poor conductor comparing with copper

7 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-02-09 19:37 ID:MyA/itFo

What about super conductors? Have they discovered any that don't need to be chilled?

8 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-02-10 09:18 ID:bDFsfBCc

i think we call that gold...

9 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-03-10 15:54 ID:CMqULBN3

Gold is close, but there are others on room temperature.

10 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-03-11 03:30 ID:W84ZfUSE

But to be a TRUE superconductor it would have to have zero resistance. That's why the only things close enough to zero resistance have to be chilled to close to absolute zero.

11 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-09-23 10:33 ID:uq4vsPcG

You know... Your nervous system is practically an organic circuit.

12 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-09-30 13:28 ID:29k3P59f

Gold isn't a superconductor (zero resistance conductor), it just conducts electricty very well.

13 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2010-10-08 19:41 ID:BgaAYMVz

There is a superconductor working at about fridge freezer temperature (250 K), but it's very delicate and thus unusable in practice.
http://www.superconductors.org/254K.htm

14 Name: Anonymous Scientist : 2011-11-29 15:54 ID:ClnXvpMQ

Wouldn't solids work better anyway? The particles in a solid are much closer together than in a liquid. Thats basic chemistry.

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