When you were in school, did you ever question when you would need to apply physics to your daily life? As it turns out, the principles of physics are used in many devices, from everyday gadgets to advanced machinery. Let’s explore three examples of technology that operate using physics.
Air Gages
Air gages are extremely precise measurement tools used in various industries, including manufacturing, medical, and automotive. Though you have probably benefited from these tools previously, you may not know the science behind air gaging instruments. These gages rely on a principle of physics known as the Venturi effect. The Venturi effect describes the phenomenon where the velocity of a fluid increases as it passes through a constriction in a pipe or channel, resulting in a decrease in pressure. Air gages use this decrease in pressure to measure the dimensions of items.
MRI Machines
If you’ve been injured and received an MRI, you’ve experienced physics at work in technology. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine uses magnets to generate a strong magnetic field that interacts with the protons inside of your body, then it sends out radio waves. Once those waves are turned off, the atoms in your body send back radio signals that are read by the MRI machine. That information is converted into highly detailed images of tissues inside your body, which a doctor reads to diagnose illness or injuries.
Solar Panels
Have you ever wondered how solar panels convert light from the sun into electricity? The answer is physics! Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect, a fundamental principle of semiconductor physics, to convert sunlight into electrical energy. Solar panels are made from a semiconductor material that causes light photons to move and create an electrical current when they hit it. This electrical current is then collected and converted into the power we use in our homes and commercial spaces.
Though you may not have realized it while you were in school, the truth is that physics is all around us. Many technological advancements have been made thanks to discoveries in physics. So, next time you get an MRI, buy something measured by an air gage, or see a solar panel, you’ll have a better appreciation for these three examples of technology that operate using physics.
