Guest midgetsy Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 I have a school project, and it's too explain topics on light as easily as possible. My topic is on cameras, and how light goes into it. Now, I've come across a word called "diode". I've searched the internet getting freakish definitions. Can someone explain what it is in a 5th grade way? ...though im not in 5th grade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timo Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 "Diode" as I know it is an element of an electrical curcuit consisting of two attached differently dotated semi-conductors. Don´t worry if you didn´t get that sentence, it´s probably not important for you. But what might be important for you is the effects diodes have in electrical cicuits: - They (loosely speaking) only allow current to pass in one direction. - Some of them emmit light (of a color depending on the materials used) when a current flows through them. Those are also called Light Emmiting Diodes or in short: LEDs. There´s another thread here about LEDs, but I guess that´s also not what you are looking for. - Generally, the effect of light being emmited when a cuirrent flows can be reversed in a way that a current starts to flow when the diode is exposed to light. I don´t know if you can use all LEDs for this reverse process or if it has to be a special type of diode (I suspect the latter). I´m also not entirely sure if such elements would be called "diode" at all (but I think so - even think to remember the name "photo-diode" from my old electronic set). My bet would be that this are the diodes you are looking for as I can imagine them being used in digital cameras. To sum it up: In you case a diode is probably an electrical element that creates a current when light falls onto it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radical Edward Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 To sum it up: In you case a diode is probably an electrical element that creates a current when light falls onto it. no' date=' I think his basic answer would be "a diode is an electrical component that only allows current to pass in one direction" your description there is of a solar cell. Photodiodes are a bit different in that they [i']allow[/i] current to flow when illuminated by light - but do not generate current themselves. just a hint by the way, wikipedia is brilliant for things like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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