How to squeeze electricity out of crystals - Ashwini Bharathula
670,060 Views
4,887 Questions Answered
TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
It might sound like science fiction, but if you press on a crystal of sugar, it will actually generate its own electricity. This simple crystal can act like a tiny power source because sugar happens to be piezoelectric. Ashwini Bharathula explains how piezoelectric materials turn mechanical stress, like pressure, sound waves and other vibrations into electricity, and vice versa.
Many of us know about the tragedy of The Titanic in April of 1912. The sonar technology with piezoelectric quartz crystals was first deployed to detect German submarines during World War I. If only this technology had been available a few years earlier, do you think it could have maybe saved the Titanic from the deadly iceberg?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Educator Ashwini Bharathula
- Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
- Animator Ricky Earl, Henry Chung, Noel Yenki Wong
- Designer Nicola Coppack, James Hing, Tom Jordan
- Composer Tom Jordan
- Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
- Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
- Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
- Narrator Pen-Pen Chen
