Question

in their experiment, dr. wang and his team layered individual fibers of fabric with minute nanowires made of zinc oxide. these wires are only 50 nanometers in diameter. that is 1,800 times thinner than a human hair. alternating fibers of fabric were then coated with gold. as the fabric was handled, the zinc oxide nanowires rubbed against the gold - coated fibers. the resulting pressure generated a piezoelectric charge. the charge was captured by the gold. it could then be led into a circuit. finally, it could be changed into usable electricity.
wang estimates that just one square meter of fabric woven with nanowire could produce around 80 milliwatts of electricity. this power is sufficient enough to recharge a portable music device.
wang used gold in the research. he expects, though, that less expensive metals would work just as well as conductors. he also said that the metals would not add much to the weight of an article of clothing.
the technology is appealing because usable electricity can be generated as the result of simple, everyday movement. just walking across the room while wearing a piezoelectric shirt would produce power. some scientists have even suggested weaving the fibers into curtains or tents. they believe this will generate electricity from even slight breezes.
dr. wang is excited about the prospect of generating power through clothing. still, he recognizes that there is an important problem that has yet to be addressed. the zinc oxide wires are not waterproof. his team now must devise a method for protecting the nanowires from moisture. otherwise, washing the clothing or getting caught in the rain would strip the fabric of its magic.
many scientists are excited about getting energy from the world around us. one group of scientists from france has begun experimenting with ways to capture energy from rain. they will harness the energy produced by the falling raindrops.
meanwhile, a japanese railway is investigating novel ways to harness the power of walking. the company is conducting experiments involving the use of mats positioned
question 7
the author probably wrote this article in order to ________.
a. warn readers that there is a worldwide energy crisis
b. describe how textiles may someday be able to generate power
c. inform readers that zinc oxide wires are not waterproof
d. define the terms nanotechnology and piezoelectric effect

Explanation:

The article mainly talks about Dr. Wang's experiment on using fabric with nanowires to generate electricity. It describes how the technology works (layering fabric with zinc - oxide nanowires, using piezoelectric charge), the power output (one square meter of fabric can produce 80 milliwatts), the advantages (using simple movement, potential for other applications like curtains/tents), and also mentions some challenges (zinc - oxide wires not being waterproof). Option A is not the main focus as there is no emphasis on a worldwide energy crisis. Option C is just a minor problem mentioned, not the main purpose. Option D, while some terms are involved, the article is more about the application of the technology in textiles for power generation rather than just defining terms. Option B aligns with the overall content of describing how textiles (fabric with nanowires) may generate power in the future.

Answer:

B. Describe how textiles may someday be able to generate power