About Lindsey Visser Expertise I would love to help you with your questions relating to oceanography, global warming, marine biology, microbial ecology, and marine botany. I can also help with any questions about taxonomy of marine species. If I cannot answer a question, I will look it up or point you in the right direction.
Experience I have a B.S. in marine biology, and am working on a M.S. in oceanography. I am FDA certified for the bacteriological examination of seawater and shellfish. I have experience in working in a microbial ecology lab, culturing marine phytoplankton, and species identification. I have spent time doing oceanography research at sea aboard a NOAA ship.
Education/Credentials B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University
M.S. in Oceanography expected 2008 from Texas A&M University
Expert: Lindsey Visser Date: 7/8/2007 Subject: Electric Eels
Question I'm a student at the Institute of Children's Literature. I have an assignment on how to write an article. I’m currently writing my article on electric eels. My article title is: AMAZING LIVING BATTERIES
The focus of my article is on the electric ability of the electric eels.
I have some questions I would like to ask you that I would like to include in my article as a question-answer interview with an expert on the matter.
1. How do electric eels produce and use electricity?
2. How does a man made battery compare to an electric eel?
3. Do they have to recharge after a burst? Why? How long it takes them to recharge? Does this make them vulnerable?
4. Are there any fascinating facts about electric eels related to their ability to produce electricity that I'm missing?
Thank you and thank God for the experts!
Very Respectfully,
Nelida Wakefield
Student, Institute of Children's Literature
Answer Hello Nelida
I think all of your questions are best answered by this website <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_eel>
I reviewed it and it is accurate. 2. A battery works similar to an eel by using stacked cells with ion channels that create an electrical gradient, although this ion channel in a battery is made of Zinc/Copper instead of sodium/potassium 3. Eels don't necessarily have to "recharge," the ion channel is easily controlled by the release of acetylcholine (which is a chemical released by the nervous system.) They can emit electricity for long periods of time, although they don't normally do this so i don't belive there is a time when they are too vulnerable. 4. Electric eels also use electolocation to seek out prey, not just stun them. Hope this helps, i know this is children's literature so i didn't go into detail about all the chemical reactions. More information is easily found on the internet though.
Lindsey
