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During class on friday (4/26) I participated in a lab that showed  how heat was trapped in the earths atmosphere by different greenhouse gases. The gasses that were used in this experiment were water vapor, air, and carbon dioxide. We then created a graph that we recorded the temperature of each gas during 5 minute intervals.

We used a heat lamp as a replacement of the sun and then placed the three jars with the three different greenhouse gases under the light. We recorded the intuitional temperature and then every five minutes we recorded the new temperature. We did this for 15 minutes.

Our Results:

Time (minutes)	Air Temp (F°)	Carbon Dioxide Temp (F°)	Water Vapor Temp (F°)
0	25°	25°	25°
5	39°	19°	27°
10	44°	23°	28°
15	49°	24°	31°

 

Our results seemed to be working accordingly, the only issue we were getting was with Carbon Dioxide. Because of our time crunch, we were able to re-do the experiment, so we’ll have to work around the human error. All the other temperatures increased from the heat of the lamp (sun) which was predicted. Air seems to be heating at the fastest rate, followed by water vapor, and according to our results, carbon dioxide would follow that.

Can’t pay the bills? Big fan of reading but need more light? What if there was a way to create light with no electrical materials from around your house? Would you try them out?

While working with Ren Truscott and Lisa Allard, we came across a way to create sun-light powered lightbulbs. Most homes should contain the proper recycled materials in order the produce this product.  All you need is a recycled plastic bottle, a cardboard box, bleach, filtered water, duct tape, and a box cutter. So before you start cutting away at the cardboard, or drink that filtered water, I want to describe to you how to go about making a sun-light powered lightbulb! It’s an interesting way to show how solar energy works and it’s short and easy!

So once you go sifting through your recycling bin looking for a plastic bottle, cut a hole into the cardboard that is the same diameter as the plastic bottle of your choice.

Next, you want to fill that bottle with three parts of that delicious filtered water, and one part of the bleach. Then once the bottle is filled, screw back on that cap!

Now you’ll take the plastic bottle and insert it into the hole in the cardboard box that you just cut out, and stop when it’s about an inch form the neck of the bottle. This will be controlled heigh A. You will later change the controlled height two more times to get data for height A, B, and C.

Then take the duct tape and seal the bottom to the cardboard, but avoid covering too much of the bottle!

Now hopefully you try this on a sunny day because next you sit the box in front of the window in the sun for about five minutes. Then when that time is up you’re going to cut a quarter sized hole in the side of the cardboard.

Now here’s the fun part! Peek into the hole and you’ll be able to see light! Take note of the brightness of each bottle A, B, and C. This will show you the efficiency of solar power!

This is a great way to show light through other sources! Great for teachers in class to show students, or even a fun summer activity with the kids. Even though this process is simple, remember that these are made with recycled materials and contains a sustainable solution! This helps you fully understand how important light can be and that candles and electric lightbulbs aren’t the only source of light!

Here’s a great video to demonstrate the procedure!

Last friday we all experienced some fun presentations of energy and light from Tom Vales. I felt like I was back at a field trip to the Museum of Science. I think it’s really great to let college aged students still learn the fun way with things, especially with science. It gives everyone a moment to relax and really soak in what they’re seeing.

This guy really knew what he was talking about, and he had great examples to back everything up. I loved that we could actually participate and hold certain objects to experience these things as well. It’s amazing what magnets, hot water vs cold water, and simple electricity can do. Even though some of his items were only available as a learning tool, I was still intrigued with everything he had to show us.

I’m sure I can speak for most of the class when I say that for a brief amount of time, I felt like a kid again because I was really enjoying his presentation. It was definitely worth the wait!

With Japan getting a large amount of their power from nuclear sources, you can imagine the panic they were in on March 11, 2011. What triggered these events was an earthquake, and if that wasn’t enough, a tsunami then followed. The tsunami that was triggered by the earthquake disabled all AC power to Units 1, 2, and 3 of the Power Plant, and carried off fuel tanks for emergency diesel generators. As a result, large amounts of radioactive material was released into the environment.

On March 15th, teams formed from members of the Radiation Safety Council at Hirosaki University set out to take action on the situation. According to an online article from January, 2012 by J Clin Biochem Nutr. the teams that were sent out how two missions. The first was to perform screening tests for radioactive contamination among the general public in Fukushima Prefecture. The second was to assist with temporary visits by evacuees to the homes in a 20-km zone. Radiation measurements and sampling were also conducted.

Here is a picture of inside the Fukushima Daiichi reactors to better understand where the problems were.

 

So what is Japan doing now for new energy strategies?

According to the nytimes.com, Japan plans on phasing out their nuclear dependence by 2040. A huge change for a country that has depended on this source for so long.The goverment had a few ideas of how to go about this change. The new energy policy was named the “Revolutionary Energy and Environment Strategy”. This new plan has the goal of extending the expected transition away from nuclear power by at least a decade and includes caveats that appear to allow some plants to operate for decades past even the new deadline. Some people we angry at the length of this new policy and wanted to see something done faster. But in order to do this right and make the best decisions, then they must move slow and make sure every action is accounted for.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3246178/

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/fukushima_accident_inf129.html

Last friday we conducted a lab where we were testing the voltage of a solar panel with different light intensities.  After performing the procedure four times with the light at different distances, we then covered the solar panel with four different colored filters to see which allowed more light. Attached is our data that we found. SOLARdata-1

What we found was that the farther the light was from the solar panel, the less power it gave off therefore decreasing the voltage. On our excel sheet, we also show a bar graph and a scatter plot to better visualize our findings.

After we conducted the experiment four times we then continued on with the four colored filters. We used turquoise, royal blue, pink and yellow. We found out that the yellow and pink filters let more light through giving a stronger voltage outcome. The royal blue filter gave the least amount of light resulting in an average voltage of 0.394587. We also put together a graph for these recordings to understand better the outcomes.

I think of a lot of this is pretty easy to predict. Because I think that the closer the light is to an object that gains power from the intensity of light will benefit more with a closer light. And if you have a clear understanding of light and light waves, I think this experiment will be clear to you.

According to the New York Times from October 11, 2012, solar is growing quickly in the United States. For the United States, the growth of solar power was helped by a federal stimulus package that extended a tax credit.

What about around the world?

Countries around the world are beginning to explore the idea of solar energy. China, of course, excelling quite fast with their research. One of the most interesting topics that I’ve come across while doing some research is the solar-powered boat that did a around the world journey for 19 months! Its point? It wanted to prove to us that solar power can in fact power a boat around the world. While passing by different cities around the world it finally sailed to shore In Monaco.

The idea of this boat is from the mind of Raphaël Domjan, who has an informational site called PlanetSolar.org. On this site you can learn more about the boat, their mission and much more.

 

Efforts around the world are being shown when it comes to using solar power. People are saying that this source of power is much more powerful than we think. Unfortunately, it’s not sunny everyday…The U.S Environmental Protection Agency has a website dedicated to clean energy. Clean Energy Programs are working with state policy makers, electric and gas utilities, as well as energy customers to identify, design and implement clean energy policy and technology solutions. Combining these two ideas and techniques I think our energies issues could be decreasing within the next few decades.

 

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/solar-energy/index.html

http://www.planetsolar.org

http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/basic-information.html

In order to fully understand this experiment you should first learn about Faraday’s Law.

Faraday’s Law states that any change in the magnetic environment of a coil of wire will cause a voltage (emf) to be “induced” in the coil. No matter how the change is produced, the voltage will be generated.

Our equipment included:

• One generator
• One voltage probe
• One NXT adaptor
• NXT
• Labview VI

With these materials, and the Faraday’s law in mind, we started the experiment. Our goal for this experiment was to compare the number of shakes of the generator, in a thirty second time interval, with the voltages that the generator generates. After a bit of a technically difficulties, we were able to record the correct numbers and square them all and find the sum. After about four trials, we complied the information and made a graph to better understand our results. Attached you will find our excel chart with our numbers.

generator1 test2

 

 

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/farlaw.html

This is a process by which it is economically easier to extract natural gases through a dense mining process. It’s a development process that increases the flow of water from a bedrock well by increasing the size and extent of the bedrock fractures that bring water into the well. Hydro Fracking is a more cost effective alternative than drilling deeper, which is an important aspect now a days and will benefit our future.

There has been some speculation that this process contaminates our drinking water. According to switchboard.nrdc.org, a loophole in the Safe Drinking Water Act exempts hydraulic fracturing from regulation, despite the threat to drinking water supplies. Hydraulic fracturing has been linked to contaminated drinking water in communities around the country

So is this new process good or bad for us? Economically it is good, but what about our drinking water?

Resources:

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/hydrofracking.php

http://www2.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing

The United States has a vast majority of power plants and transmission lines creating what we call the US electric grid. It’s made up of sources like power plants, solar power, and wind. Recently with certain elements changing, it has forced the experts to take a look at their system and decide if something needs to be changed. With this change in mind, people are beginning to create new technology, for example, smart grid.

Smart grid is a new technology that involves computers and remotes to control. According to the information of SGIC.com, “The “grid” amounts to the networks that carry electricity from the plants where it is generated to consumers. The grid includes wires, substations, transformers, switches and much more.” Whats good about this new grid is that it can locate when something has failed and it will know instantly. Unlike when we lose power during a storm and we have to call to inform someone. The improved efficiency of the new technology will help save money. If something is fixed around the utilities grid, everything else around it will work more

There are so many great advantages to using smart grids. Better quality with digital technology, and has a better reaction rate to natural disasters. I hope this works for our future energy systems.

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=110997398

http://www.sgiclearinghouse.org/LearnMore

http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/national_energy_grid/united-states-of-america/americannationalelectricitygrid.shtml

 

Map of The United States Electricity Grid

Last friday we all continued with our Lego mindstorm experiment. My partner and I were able to complete the required tasks and play around with the car a bit.

	Our Data	Computer Data	% Error	Rotation
1st	.27m	.268m	.7%	1.55
2nd	.27m	.27m	0%	1.56
3rd	.18m	.177m	1.6%	1.02

We did our first two recordings with the power of the car at 75. Our last recording was done with the car at a power of 50. We knew the circumference of the wheel was 0.1728m, and to find how many rotations the wheels did we just took the distance and divided it by the circumference. Once we were done collecting our data and writing it down we decided to change the power again, but this time have the wheels be at two different powers. Once changing that, the car would end up in a scattered spin on the table.