Article
Article
Seebeck effect
Article By:
Bailey, A. Earle Formerly, Electrical Science Division, National Physical Laboratory, London, United Kingdom.
Last reviewed:June 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.612500
The generation of a temperature-dependent electromotive force (emf) at the junction of two dissimilar metals. This phenomenon provides the physical basis for the thermocouple. In 1821, T. J. Seebeck discovered that near a closed circuit composed of two linear conductors of two different metals a magnetic needle would be deflected if, and only if, the two junctions were at different temperatures, and that if the temperatures of the two junctions were reversed the direction of deflection would also be reversed. He investigated 35 different metals and arranged them in a series such that at a hot junction, current flows from a metal earlier in the series to a later one. See also: Electromotive force (emf)
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