What is the energy transformation that occurs when a smoke alarm goes off?
a
Electrical to sound
b
Potential to electrical
c
Sound to light
d
Electrical to potential
a. Electrical to sound
The correct answer is (a) Electrical to sound. When a smoke alarm goes off, the energy transformation that occurs is from electrical energy to sound energy. The electrical energy from the battery or electrical source is converted to sound energy as the alarm produces a loud noise to alert people of possible smoke or fire.
The correct answer is option a: Electrical to sound.
To understand the energy transformation that occurs when a smoke alarm goes off, we need to consider the components and functionality of a smoke alarm. A smoke alarm typically consists of an ionization chamber and a piezoelectric buzzer.
When smoke enters the ionization chamber, it interrupts the flow of ions between two electrodes. This disruption in the ion flow causes a small amount of current to flow through the chamber. The smoke alarm is powered by electricity, so the electrical energy from the battery or a power source is transformed into ionization energy when the current flows through the chamber.
The ionization energy leads to the production of an electrical signal, which is then converted into an audible sound by the piezoelectric buzzer. The piezoelectric buzzer converts the electrical energy into mechanical vibrations, which in turn generates sound waves that we can hear as the alarm.
Therefore, the energy transformation that occurs when a smoke alarm goes off is from electrical energy to sound energy.