Month: February 2013

In this experiment, the main thing we have to have is a flashlight and Labview, the program. What we have to do was connect the flashlight with the wires that are on the NXT machine. After everything is prepared, the true experiment will start.

In this experiment, we will be testing it 4 times, and each time the shake time will either increase or decrease. In Labview, each test will take 30 seconds to record and get the result. For our first shake, the professor requested to start it slow first. So in 30 seconds, we recorded 32 shakes, and the results that appeared has showed that in 32 shakes, we create 12 voltage. After done recording the first trial, we did the second one. In the second trial, we start increasing the speed, and it end up of having 35 shakes in 30 seconds. In this trial, we created 77 voltage. Keep on going, we recorded 46 shakes in the third trial, and has created 89 voltage. In the fourth trial, we are increasing the speed more, and it end up of having 98 shakes. Surprisingly, the voltage that we created in this trial is lower than the previous one, which is 80.

In conclusion, I believe this experiment has told us that the faster and stronger you shake, the more voltage that you will create because when you shake up and down, the magnet inside the flashlight will move up and down as well. Therefore, the flashlight will create more voltage when you shake more. However, if your shakes only have speed and not power, the voltage that is create will not as being as much, for instance the fourth trial comparing with the third trial.

(Below is the chart of the number of shakes vs the voltage.)

To begin with the experiment, we have the pulley, the weights, which includes 50, 20’s, 10’s, and 5’s, and the robot itself. What we are trying to do in this experiment is to find out what’s the different about the speed, time, and battery discharge when we have the same mass but different speed and same speed but different mass. Before really starting at the experiment, we have the make sure that the USB is plug in to both the computer and the robot, as well as “port A” itself. After you’re done, the experiment will begin. For the first section, same mass but different speed, we kept the mass at 200 grams, equaling 0.2kg. Well definitely, in order to succeed in this experiment, you will have to use Labview to calculate the numbers. So for the first trial, we plugged in 50 for the power and 0.2 for the mass(kg). Later on the second trial, we kept the mass(kg) the same, and change the power to 75. Last but not least, for the third trial, we increased the speed more to 100. The result has proven us that the more power you use for the same mass(kg), the speed and acceleration will definitely be faster and more efficient. But on the other hand, the battery discharge is much higher than the one with less power. (Below is the results.)

Power	Mass(kg)	Battery Discharge (mV)	Speed (RPM)	Acceleration (RPM/s)	Time(s)
50	0.2	42	57.1077	12.7644	4.474
75	0.2	97	91.5583	35.0261	2.614
100	0.2	111	125.687	82.8521	1.517

On the other section, we will be having same power but different mass(kg). On the first trial, our power is 75 and mass(kg) is 0.25. Then on the second trial, we kept the same power and decreased the mass to o.15(kg). Last but not least, our last trial is decreasing the mass more and only weighing 0.1(kg). In the section, we found out the result are different as well. Having the same power, the battery discharge will be much higher when the mass weighs higher, and the acceleration will be lower when the mass weighs higher too. (Below is the results.)

Power	Mass(kg)	Battery Discharge (mV)	Speed (RPM)	Acceleration (RPM/s)	Time(s)
75	0.1	28	94.2305	44.8076	2.103
75	0.15	55	90.7568	41.4604	2.189
75	0.25	-14	87.5508	32.3424	2.707

What is hydraulic fracturing? Hydraulic fracturing, also called hydro fracking, is a process used to maximize the extraction of underground resources, which includes, oil, natural gas, geothermal energy, and water. Most of the oil and gas industry uses this method, the hydraulic fracturing, to allow oil or natural gas to move more freely from the rock pores so that it can bring the oil or gas to the surface. Why this technology is used by many oil and gas industry? Well, this method can help us decrease our reliance on foreign fuel imports and increases the use of our resources by not wasting it. Also, this can help reduce the national carbon dioxide emissions and turn the environment into a carbon light environment.

However, as being said, there will be concerns for the environment when using hydraulic fracturing. First, “the fractures in the well might extend directly into shallow rock units that are used for drinking water supplies”. Second, “the casing of a well might fail and allow fluids to escape into shallow rocks that are used for drinking water supplies”. Last but not least, “accidental spills of hydraulic fracturing fluid might seep into the ground or contaminate surface water”. Well as being said, the concerns that hydraulic fracturing causes will harm the health of human beings and any other living things. Therefore, for some people, the process might be a “money tree” for them, but for some other people, the hydraulic fracturing might be a “poisonous pill” for them.

References:

http://geology.com/articles/hydraulic-fracturing/

http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/class2/hydraulicfracturing/wells_hydrowhat.cfm

http://www.hydraulicfracturing.com/Pages/information.aspx

http://www.api.org/policy-and-issues/policy-items/hf/facts-about-hydraulic-fracturing-and-seismic-activity.aspx

http://iehn.org/overview.naturalgashydraulicfracturing.php

Government now a days is putting pressure on Automobile Industry by increasing the gas mileage. “In August 2012, the Obama administration issued new rules that require auto manufacturers to increase the average efficiency of new cars and trucks to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025”, reported by New York Times. In other words, United States is now giving pressure for the automobile industry in United States to produce more less super cars, and start developing more electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The purpose of doing it is all because the United States wants to control the carbon-dioxide emission that the car produces. However, this new rule is estimated that the oil consumption will be reduced by 12 billion barrels of oil, and saving an average of $8000 on fuel cost per vehicle by 2025.

Unsatisfied, automobile industry is trying to lower the gas mileage of what the government is expecting from 54.5 to 35.5. Not just President Obama has increased the gas mileage, even former United States president, President Bush, has increased the gas milage in previous years. To meet the expectations, automobile industries have been rolling out new technologies and other innovations to boost the mileage, including advanced powertrain, advanced transmission, and lighter components etc. This has made the gas mileage from previous 20.1 miles per gallon to 23.6 miles per gallon, said by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute. However, this might not be a bad news for some automobile industry because they’ve figure out that with smaller cars, they can make a better profit, since smaller cars have a “razor-thin” margin.

 

References:

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2012/08/27/tough-government-gas-mileage-rules-good-for-drivers-auto-industry

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/f/fuel_efficiency/index.html

In the robot car experiment, we are using the VI system to understand how to measure the distance the wheels travels and what the speed of the car is. First we’ll have to measure the circumference of the wheel and then compute it into diameter, which in other word, “P*Diameter”. After measuring it, we’ll have to record the distance the car has went. Knowing the distance, we’ll put the distance in the VI system to find the number of wheel turns and the rotation in degrees. Also, we will need to calculate how much error it made. To find the error, we’ll have to subtract the distance of ruler from distance to computer (distance of ruler – distance of computer). In total, we had ran 3 tests, and all the results came out differently as we adjust the numbers on every try. Below is the results that came out.

1. 25cm/1sec         75 power          0.269m (computer)      0.25m (human)     0.529/2=0.259 (Average)       7.33%(error)

2. 16.5cm/1sec      50 power          1.65m (computer)        1.56m (human)       0% (error)

3. 50 power (2 secs)         33.1cm (computer)         33.5cm (human)        66.6/2=33.3 (Average)         1.2% (error)