How are Peltier, Seebeck and Thomson effects different?

Question

The three stated effects above are all under one phenomenon : the thermoelectric effect (generating an electric voltage out of a temperature difference and vice versa). But what’s the difference between the three effects?

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Answer 1

Thompson & Seebeck effect are the same thing. They were discovered independently, hence different names. Sometimes it’s the Thompson-Seebeck effect (combined). This specifically refers to the *voltage* difference that shows up in a junction when the two sides are at different temperatures.

The Peltier effect is basically the opposite…if you *create* a voltage difference (by hooking the junction to a power supply) you drive the sides of the junction to different temperatures.

Same phenomenon, but cause-effect is running in opposite directions.