Can Salt Water Generate and Store Electricity for Cars?

AI Thread Summary
Salt water can potentially generate electricity through electrolysis, producing hydrogen that can be stored for fuel cells, but the efficiency of converting electricity to mechanical energy is around 50%. While batteries typically do not use salt water, the discussion raises questions about alternative energy sources for cars. The practicality of using petrol and oxygen in motors is acknowledged, though creating petrol from scratch is impractical. The conversation also hints at exploring biological mechanisms, like those in muscles, for energy production. Overall, the feasibility of using salt water as a direct energy source for cars remains uncertain.
gunguy702
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Hello,
First of all this is a fun sidetrack thing. I'm looking for the safest and most efficient molecule that could be split or combined or some way to produce force.Could it be put in a motor-type device and therefore be used as a motor?BTW, this is for like a car.Could Salt Water produce electricity that could be stored in a battery and therefore be in a car?
 
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I think you have some mechanism in mind which does not work, but your question is a bit vague.

You can produce hydrogen via electrolysis and store it to power a fuel cell afterwards - I think the efficiency electric->electric is something like ~50%. Electric->mechanical is close to 100%, that does not matter much.
Batteries use other chemical components, but not salt water (why salt water?).
Petrol and oxygen can be used in a motor, too - it is impractical to produce petrol from scratch, but it can be made out of (parts of) oil of course.
 
gunguy702 said:
Hello,
First of all this is a fun sidetrack thing. I'm looking for the safest and most efficient molecule that could be split or combined or some way to produce force.Could it be put in a motor-type device and therefore be used as a motor?BTW, this is for like a car.Could Salt Water produce electricity that could be stored in a battery and therefore be in a car?

Are you thinking in terms of the mechanism that operates in our muscles?
 
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