Absorption of Radiant Energy

Josh, Suyash, Sarah, Adam, Khang

Purpose

The purpose of this experiment is to see which color paper absorbs the most radiant energy.  The NXT Robots record temperature with 2 temperature probes.  This setup can determine the two separate temperatures at once.  With this test we can prove or disprove the theory of the amount of heat absorbed by white versus black material.

Background

Solar Energy, a renewable form of energy, has solar panels that use radiant energy to generate electricity. A solar panel has solar cells which uses a thermal collector that uses the color black to collects heat by absorbing sunlight. Solar Energy is used widely across the world for various purposes. Scientists use solar energy to provide heat, light, electricity, and even cooling for businesses, homes and industry. The good thing about producing solar energy is that during and after the process, it gives off no pollution. Furthermore, Solar energy produces electricity very quietly. Another pro for using solar energy is that humanity will gradually depends less and less on fossil fuels and reduce the emission of greenhouse gas. Although Solar energy is really efficient and dependable, the initial cost is extremely high due to the super high cost of the solar cell. But once installed, they produce a free source of electricity.

Procedure

– Let lamp heat up for 3-5 minutes

– Set up the temperature probes under each paper

– When lamp is heated start the NXT program provided which measures temperature.

– Hold lamp over papers for 5 minutes

– Record the result below.

Data

                                    Probe 1     Probe 2   

                                    White        Black  

Minimum temperature ______ °F ______ °F

Maximum temperature ______ °F ______ °F

Analysis

Calculate temp difference (∆t=tf–ti).

White ______ °F       Black______ °F

Which color had the largest temperature increase?

Solar collectors can be used to absorb the sun’s radiation and change it to heat. What color

would work best for solar collectors? Explain.

Data

                                    Probe 1     Probe 2   

                                    White        Black  

Minimum temperature 75.9 °F       75.9 °F

Maximum temperature 85.1°F       92.7°F

Analysis

Calculate temp difference (∆t=tf–ti).

White 9.2°F       Black 16.8°F

When we were inform about the project, my group sat down and brainstorm for ideas. We’ve decided to test the absorption of radiant energy. The purpose of this experiment is to see which color paper absorbs the most radiant energy.  The NXT Robots record temperature with 2 temperature probes. This setup can determine the two separate temperatures at once.  With this test we can prove or disprove the theory of the amount of heat absorbed by white versus black material. This experiment is related to solar energy, which is an important source of energy in our lives. I would like to see how this project can help me understand solar energy better.

According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Demand Response is defined as “Changes in electric usage by end-use customers from their normal consumption patterns in response to changes in the price of electricity over time, or to incentive payments designed to induce lower electricity use at times of high wholesale market prices or when system reliability is jeopardized.” Within electricity grids, demand response is similar to dynamic demand mechanisms to manage customer consumption of electricity in response to supply conditions. Demand Response programs offer incentives to businesses who reduce the energy use of their facilities during times of peak demand. Find out how your business can benefit and help alleviate the strain on California’s power supply. Current demand response schemes are implemented with large and small commercial as well as residential customers, often through the use of dedicated control systems to shed loads in response to a request by a utility or market price conditions. Demand Response would help prevent blackouts in neighborhoods. Most people won’t even notice that their energy usage is lower. It is always good to save electricity.

The Keystone XL pipeline project’s of bringing oil-sands deprived natural oil from Canada to the United States is being discussed. There are pros and cons to this projects. Experts have been discussing whether this project should be enhanced and finish.

The Cons of the Keystone XL pipeline:
– Building the Keystone pipeline and opening up the Tar Sands will negatively impact national and local economies
– The same fossil fuel interests pushing the Keystone pipeline have been cutting, not creating, jobs
– Unemployment will rise
– Poor and working people will be disproportionately affected
– Building the sustainable economy, not the Keystone pipeline, will create far more jobs
– There is also a discussion about the environmental risk during and after the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline

The Pros of the Keystone XL pipeline:
– Canada is one of the most secure sources of oil supply in the world and has long been a secure source of supply for the United States.
– The pipeline should permit more raw natural oil to transport to the U.S and permit larger market efficiency within U.S. oil markets; some oil- sands-derived products will be exported to more appropriate markets, but other product will remain in the United States. Any additional oil in the global market helps to enhance oil security by increasing supply.

In my opinion, the Keystone XL pipeline would hurt us because there are more cons and pros. The Harvard article made a solid argument about the 5 reasons why Keystone XL pipeline would hurt the economy. Therefore there is no reason to follow through with a project that is suppose to help the economy but is going to end up hurting the economy instead. There is also a risk that the project would pollute the ecosystem and the environment.

In order to do this lab, the materials that we needed were flashlight, color filter papers, computer, and a ruler. This lab helps the class understands how solar energy works and how we can use solar energy to produce electricity. In class, we were using the photo-voltaic method to produce electricity. The photo-voltaic method is one way to generate electricity by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity through a semiconductor. The light source from the flash light hits the color filter paper and cause a transfer in energy. Electrons are then emitted. The purpose of doing this lab is to investigate the relationship between light intensity and the voltage output of a solar cell.

The First part of the lab was to find the relationship between distance from the light source vs the voltage generated. The distance that we were using were no light, 5 cm, 15 cm, 25 cm, and finally 35 cm. The results that we found were expected. Without light, obviously it would generate less electricity. As the light source move further and further away, the less and less electricity it generates. Below is the Graph that represents the result of the first part of the experiment 🙂

For the second part of the experiment, we used color filter plastic paper to find the relationship between light intensity and the voltage produce. The colors that we picked were no filter, Teal, Blue, and Pink. Personally I would choose one other lighter color other than pink but those were the only ones left. From looking at the results that we got, I can conclude that the darker the color the less it generates electricity. The reason is because less light and solar energy actually get through the filter with the darker colors. Less solar energy = less electricity generate. The results are below:

The case for this action is that by 2010 president Obama promise that the U.S would reduce its greenhouse gas emission in the range of 17% below 2005 levels. American stands at a critical juncture because climate change is no longer a distant dreamy threat. The climate change has affected us in various ways. For example, there was an estimate of 110 billion in damage. Climate change has come with a far reaching consequences and economic price. The first part of President Obama’s climate action plan is the deploying of clean energy. In order to achieve this step, the president has to cut carbon pollution from power plants, promote American Leadership in renewable energy, and finally unlock long-term investment in clean energy innovation.The second part of the plan is to build a 21st century transportation sector. By increasing fuel economy standards, develop and deploying advanced transportation technologies; we can achieve this goal. The third part is to cut energy waste in homes, businesses, and factories. President Obama plan to also reduce other greenhouse gas emissions. The last thing for the president to accomplish is to lead in clean energy(at the federal level). President Obama also talk about preparing the United State of America for the impacts climate change by building stronger and safer communities and infrastructures. In addition to that, we also have to protect our economy and natural resources along with working with other countries for assurance and assistance. 

Today in class, we did an experiment to see the change in voltage by shaking a magnet device that is also a flash light.  Needless to say the faster we shake it, the more energy it produces and the more positive numbers we get on our spreadsheet. The process of generating energy of this device starts when we shake it and then the magnet inside moved through the coil which is what generated the voltage. Like usual, we used the NXT robot in order to measured how much voltage it generated. With the results from the lab we then create a graph to to show how the data changes. Luckily this time the results from the lab makes sense, due to the fact that we change the magnetic flux faster every test, the higher the voltage should go up. As a result we have a positive linear line to show that the voltages increases as the number of shakes increases. This experiment is important since we know how to create usable energy from Faraday’s law by changing magnetic flux, we can understand how wind turbines, nuclear reactor, and energy plants work. By understanding how these things work, maybe one day we can find a solution to a better source of clean energy for people to rely one.

Graph:

Another surprise from the professor, she invited a man named Tom Vales to our class. We were fortunate enough that this man was extremely passionate about presenting and showing us forms of energy and how they are used in the real world. Tom also mention how people produce energy in the 1800s and 1900s. Which I found interesting because I never knew the technology industry was already so advance back then. It didn’t sound like it was advance compare to what we use now but… compare to every other equipment during those times. It is amazing how people produce energy. Mr. Tom Vales present us with 3 machines. The first is the sterling machine, which use a cup of hot water below as its source of energy. The second is the Peltier Device. This device uses hot plus cold water with metal parts in combine in order to produce energy. The Last but not least was the Mendocino motor. This machine is the one that i found most intriguing because it uses solar power and magnetic to produce energy. The reason why it is interesting is because I was doing a project on magnet not so long ago and i could have done this probably… I would like to say thank you to the professor and Tom Vales for a wonderful experience!

In class, we were fortunate enough to watch this movie called Pandora’s Promise. Pandora’s Promise is a documentary movie on the past, present, and future of nuclear technology. Our knowledge were expand to a broader range on how the future and history of nuclear technology would affect OUR FUTURE. Well despite of what it sounds like, this movie is a debate led by Robert Stone on how valuable and useful Nuclear energy is if we use it for the right things. He detest Nuclear Energy in use for War and violence. He’s arguing that Nuclear energy is actually a clean and relatively safe valuable energy source which we can use to help solve our global warming problems. Nuclear energy is the most efficient way of producing energy without creating a lot of waste. The nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to create heat energy. The heat energy is then turned into electrical energy, which is then can be used. One part in the video that surprised me was when they questioned this lady who was giving a speech about how harmful nuclear energy was. I like how the movie would show real life events such as the Chernobyl Nuclear accident. It happened because s caused because there was no protective shell to confine the radioactive materials. If  nuclear energy is used properly and efficiently, it can be our answer for Power Source in the near Future when other resources run out!

In order to expand our knowledge on Nuclear science and relate to the Pandora’s promise movie, our class decided to take a trip to the MIT’s Nuclear Reactor for a tour. Because it was nice out and because we are active/eager students, we decided to walk to MIT… 🙂 Unlike how I imagine it, the reactor doesn’t seem all that impressive from the outside. When we walked inside, the machines and scenery were something that you would only see in a military/sci-fi movie(which was pretty amazing.) Before we go inside for a tour of the reactor, an MIT’s instructor give us a brief presentation, using powerpoint, on the purpose of the reactor and why the government shut it down around the country. Although the contents were rather confusing, it is inspiring how technology can be use for the goods of humanity. It was a pity but since I did not have a “government issue ID”, I could not go inside for a tour. I hope I would have another chance in the future to go inside to take a peak at the amazing technology

.This Picture was on the power point

This Vault stores water cleaner than the water we drink-fyi