化学の英会話：リチウムとリチウムイオン電池

今回は、リチウムとリチウムイオン電池に関する英会話です。理系の人や、文系でもメーカーに就職したい人は勉強しておきたい内容です。薬学にも活用されているとは驚きですね。

◆英単語、表現
mood stabilization : 精神安定
antidepressant : 抗うつ薬

A: Hi B, can you tell me about lithium? I heard it's used in batteries and has something to do with mood stabilization?

B: Yes, that's correct. Lithium is a soft, silvery-white metal that is highly reactive and flammable. It's used in a variety of industrial applications, including batteries, heat-resistant glass, and ceramics. Interestingly, it's also present in trace amounts in biological systems and has been found to be useful as a mood stabilizer and antidepressant.

A: Wow, I had no idea. And what about lithium-ion batteries? I've heard they're used in a lot of electronic devices and electric vehicles.

B: Yes, that's right. Lithium-ion batteries use the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy, which makes them very popular for portable electronic devices and electric vehicles. They're also used for grid-scale energy storage and military and aerospace applications.