Eli5 how do fire alarms detect fires?
In: 1
They detect smoke
Your classic smoke detector has a small bit of radioactive americium that shoots alpha particles into a chamber and figures out the charge in it. If there’s smoke or other fine particles in the air it’ll absorb the alpha particles, change the reading, and sound the alarm
The other type is photoelectric. Shine a light at a light sensor, if there’s smoke in the air it’ll scatter the light, reduce how much is sensed, and sound the alarm
Each type is good at detecting specific types of fires
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