Final Class Experiment

For the final class experiment I choose the experiment called Temperature and Heating Lab : Radiation and Color. The group leader explained that this experiment was done in order to see what color paint would be the most efficient in absorbing radiation and creating a low temperature for the household. This system would be used in the summer. To test out this theory the group brought four thermometers, markers in four colors, a lamp and a timer. What we had to do was color the outer shell of the thermometer case with the marker. Then we put them directly underneath the lamp for 20 minutes. The thermometers were set at 27 degrees. Afterward we checked the temperature to see which one had the lowest temperature and would be the most efficient. Going into the experiment, I hypothesized that the black thermometer would be the most efficient because it does not have a reflection. To my surprise the most efficient turned out to be the green thermometer. The black had a temperature of 42 degrees Fahrenheit and green had a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. turns out that green is in the middle of the color spectrum, therefore the properties of absorption and reflection are leveled to create a steady temperature. I never thought that a specific color could effect the temperature of a house. It was very interesting to me. I think that this concept could work, but it would have to be put into place, in an area of constant heat. Anywhere, that has a change in season would need a change in temperature. In winter the house would always be cold. Coal and other methods of heat production would be used. This would effect the environment and defeat the purpose of painting for a "greener" house. The good news is that it can be used in some parts of the world. Some areas have now started to paint their roofs with what are called "cooling colors". These are green, red, and black. They have used different materials, like aluminum to cool down the houses. It is a very fascinating process, which is why I decided to try out this experiment.

Fruit/Battery Experiment (Final Project)

Fruit/Battery Experiment

We utilize all sorts of batteries throughout our everyday lives. Cars, cellphones, and digital watches are all powered by some sort of battery. With that said, we were curious what kind of basic principles create a “battery.” A battery is a container that consists of one or more cells that produce an electro-chemical reaction when connected to a device. The experiment we chose was to create a battery out of a fruit (lemons, limes, oranges, bananas) using carbon as the constant element and switching out various conductive metals (zinc, copper, iron) as the second element. We hypothesized that the lemon would have the highest pH level and thus would generate the highest amount of voltage. Conversely, we had guessed that a banana would produce the least amount of voltage. For the experiment, we utilized a multi-meter to measure the voltage of each fruit and metal combination. Our results were fairly surprising. On average, copper was the least conductive metal – generating only .1 volts when implanted in a lemon. The galvanized (zinc-coated) nail produced the highest readings – producing .84 volts when implanted in an orange. The most surprising aspect of our findings was that the banana produced fairly high readings on the multi-meter. This is because the ascorbic acid found in a ripe banana tends to have a fairly higher pH level than the citric acids found in the other fruits.

   
The basic principle behind creating the 

voltage is a transfer of electrons in a process known as oxidation. While zinc is entering the acidic solution, two positively charged hydrogen ions from the electrolyte combine with two electrons at the carbon’s surface and form an uncharged hydrogen molecule.

The reasoning behind conducting this experiment is to see if the acquired voltages would be adequate enough to power a small device. For instance, a small flashlight requires roughly 1.5 volts. The highest voltage we recorded was created by citric acid from the orange and the zinc-coated nail. The voltage was .84. We realized that this method was not successful in powering a device, however if we were to implant a higher amount of zinc – the voltage would likely be high enough to power a small flashlight.

Group: 
Brian Brewster, Kim Wallace, Joe Cesaro, Joe Scolley

The Peltier Effect

The Peltier effect is something that was discovered on accident. It was discovered by Jean Charles Athanase Peltier while he was investigating electricity in 1834. Peltier took copper wire and bismuth wire and connected them and then to a battery. When it was turned on one junction became hot and the other became cold. He then realized that if he put the cold junction in an insulated bag it could be a portable refrigeration device. It then occurred to him that this was simply the reversal of the Seebeck effect. This was discovered in 1821 by Thomas Johann Seebeck. He discovered that if two dissimilar metals made a circuit it would conduct electricity if the two metals had different temperatures at the connection point. This information helped him in the full development of his device. Peltier became known as the first inventor of the refrigerator, and he may not have even known.
         For the peltier effect to work the direction of the heat transfer is dependent upon current polarity. The peltier effect happens due to a electric current and heat current being together in a homogeneous conductor staying even at a constant temperature. Once this was studied and perfect the cooler was created. The peltier cooler is a heat pump that transfers heat from one side of the cooler to the other working against the temperature gradient by using an electric current. The device can be used as both a heater and a cooler. Many people that use this device today use it for its cooling properties. The device has been used by many cooler companies. They put it inside one of their insulated coolers and people can take cold food or drink with them wherever they go. Another thing it is used for is to keep instruments at a steady temperature. Certain instruments are made out of special wood and materials and need to stay at a specific temperature in order to work properly, and have the best sound quality. The military uses it to help with certain electronic devices that need to stay cool. They are also put in dehumidifiers to help with water extraction from air. Even spacecraft uses this device. It balances the effects of direct sunlight by transferring the heat form that side of the craft to the shaded side. One of the great things bout this device is that it does not have any moving parts; so maintenance is not an issue.
       The down side is that they are inefficient. Unfortunately to dissipate the heat coming from the device a fan is also needed. This adds more cost to the product. Due to the level of electricity used the device can cause overheating and in some cases condensation. The issue at the moment is creating peltier coolers that are both efficient and affordable.

Sources:

Graham, Christopher Fox, and Lindsay D. "What Is the Seeback Effect ?" WiseGeek. Conjecture, 07 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Ratliff, Jen. "What Is the Peltier Effect?" WiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation, 04 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

"The Peltier Effect." TechFAQ The Peltier Effect Comments. Memebridge, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Froboese, Klaus. "The Peltier Effect." The Peltier Effect. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Pandoras Promise

This blog is about the documentary called '' Pandora's Promise". It is about nuclear energy. The belief is that it could possibly save the earth from global warming. The energy that it provides could bring many, many people out of poverty; especially in developing countries. The documentary interviews scientists who have gone from extremely anti- nuclear to pro-nuclear. It also looks at peoples fears and concerns with the use of nuclear energy. The documentary itself is looked at as very controversial. Many people feel that our world should stay away from nuclear power because if it is used more the access to it will increase. This could create a rise in nuclear weapon activity.

        Many people feel that the nuclear industry is a killer industry. All that come out of it are killing utensils, bombs for example. This is what a protest is saying at the start of the film. They feel that we have so many other options like solar, wind, geothermal etc.. nuclear simply isn't a necessity.No other energy source leaves a visible presence that can be deadly. It makes sense why people are frightened.  It then switches to the people who were anti and have now switched to pro. At first they felt the same as the protesters. They would be in a panic mode just talking about nuclear power plants. It was not until they studied what it is really all about that they switched their stance. Two scientists who are pro nuclear went to Fukushima in Japan to see what really went on there. Many know about the disaster there where the plant was pretty much destroyed due to an earthquake and tsunami. After going there one of the scientists says that he is not sure if he will be pro nuclear by the end of the trip. Seeing the devastation really surprised and terrorized him. What helps put nuclear energy in a negative light, is that it originated for the purpose of making the atomic bomb during WWII. Right away people think of bombs and devastation, when associated with nuclear power. People think of it mostly as a weapon rather than an energy source. People living in the 50s had nightmares of their towns being blown up. That generation wants nothing to do with anything nuclear. Cartoons like "The Simpsons" showed the evil or danger stenotype of nuclear energy by making the evil character the owner of a nuclear power plant. Radioactivity can be a cause of cancer, which is probably the number one fear. There are many people however, that do believe that nuclear energy is the best solution.

Len Koch is a pioneering nuclear engineer. He talks about how when he worked for the nuclear business it was brand new. Nuclear energy was just starting to be discussed as a possibility. This was in the 1940s. He learned that one pound of uranium, which is the size of a fingertip, its energy is equivalent to 5,000 barrels of oil. That is pretty amazing. It is a clean source of energy. It really has nothing to do with weapons. The problem is getting society to believe and understand that. Richard Rhodes, a science and activism journalist was extremely anti-nuclear like many of his fellow journalists. It was not until he talked to the experts in the field that he understood what they were really doing and changed his outlook. He then understood that nuclear energy is not what the activists think it is. There was a movie called the "China Syndrome", which said that if the core was exposed for any reason the plant would melt and create a whole from the U.S through to China. It would essentially be an apocalyptic event. One issue with this theory is that china is on the other side of the world and the whole would not even get there. It was not a logical or plausible theory. People didn't realize how power plants really worked. Whether people like it or not nuclear most likely is going to be a part of the global warming efforts because it does not produce CO2. Civilizations without a normal amount of electricity have a lower life span. It is needed for cooking and bathing and keeping things fresh. Energy always has to be there and in a strong way. That is why other alternatives of production are necessary. If poor countries become wealthier more energy will be needed. There has not been a death resulting from commercial nuclear reactors in the United States. Tritium is being released from the plants. Eating one banana however, will give more radiation than drinking all the tritium water that may come from the plants in one day. Tritium is natural occurring hydrogen isotope.

The myths are what creates the most issues. The biggest argument is that the united nations covered up Chernobyl. They say that a million people were effected and died due to this event. They say that all of the world health corporation and united nations and many more health corporations created the biggest cover up. The document released says that 4.000 were effected. For people to believe that this cover up took place is pretty unrealistic. The reason is because it would have taken several groups and organizations to agree on this cover up and plan it. It is pretty impossible and the film says "ridiculous".
At the end of the day it really is a back and forth battle. I do not know if nuclear energy will ever be our main source but I will not pick a side until I feel I know a good amount about both sides.

MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory

This week the class visited the Nuclear Reactor created by MIT. It is a research reactor. This means that it is used simply for experimental reasons. If it was working reactor it would be used to power buildings and homes. We were given a lecture first, to explain what we were about to see. It was interesting to learn about why they reactor is in use.

       The reactor is a cooling reactor used with light water. The reactor is a research reactor made up of light and heavy water. The light water runs through the core and tank the reactor. Light water is compared to the water we use in everyday life. The heavy water is on the bottom, or the core, and I used as a reflector. They put a thick layer of concrete around the core that's a barrier around the heavy water. They use stainless steel and aluminum. The issue is that if there were to be some sort of natural disaster that could bump up the heat in the room it can cause the reactor to melt letting out the radiation which is very dangerous for the staff and the public. They have been working hard at MIT to find a new material that can withstand higher temperatures than steel. There is one material in the process of being made but it will take a lot of testing and finding enough of the material to build a reactor. However, steps are being made.
       When the reactor was first being used for testing and experiments, studies were being worked on to see if the reactor could help with cancer somehow. The scientists came up with Boron neutron capture therapy. This is when a non radioactive isotope is injected into the cancer patient that Is supposed to locate the tumor. This isotope it supposed to capture neurons. Then the patient goes through radiation with neutrons which is supposed to destroy the damaged tissue and keep the healthy tissue untouched. It was targeted for brain cancer patients. The problem was that in the process of killing the bad tissue it would also kill some of the healthy tissue. This eventually shut down. So far there hasn't been too many developments in this study. The tour guide said that there hasn't been a doctor doing medical studies at the lab for years.
         It is used to train people on how a reactor works, if they are going to work at a plant. It is used for many testing's and experiments. It has been used for medical studies having to do with different types of radiation therapy. They also use it for fission engineering. I enjoyed going through the lab and getting a real perspective on all that goes on in the lab. The room that was very interesting was the control room. Everything is set at specific levels and cannot be changed. I wondered what it would take to know what level it needed to be. It showed me how smart these scientists and workers really are. It seemed like a complicated process. The security of the reactor was very interesting. Someone physically has to sit and watch a couple screens of security throughout the day and make sure there is not a problem. This could be long and tiring. The man that runs the control room told us that he brings projects and work with him to keep busy so that sleep isn't a thought. If no one were to keep an eye on the reactor and there was an issue it would be detrimental to everyone inside and the public.
       I really enjoyed the tour and was fascinated by almost everything. It was out of my comfort zone, so it was difficult to understand some things but I tried my best to.

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster

Many places around the world have nuclear power plants. They are used to create steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator in order to produce electricity. All this is done using a nuclear reactor as the main heating source. Japan has a huge plant called Fukushima Daiichi. In 2011 something terrible happened there that effected not only the plant but the citizens of japan as well.

         On March 11, 2011 an earthquake hit the east coast of northern Japan. It was said that it was one of the largest earthquakes in the history of the world. This was devastating enough for japan but this was not the only natural disaster to strike that day. The earthquake was so large it generated a tsunami. The tsunami is what effected the power plant. It disabled the power and cooling supply of three of the Fukushima reactors. They melted after three days. High radioactive material was released from the plant into society. It was the largest accident since Chernobyl. It measured a 7 on the international nuclear event scale. The tsumani went over the plants seawall and flooded the room where the emergency generators were located. The diesel generators failed, thus stopping the power to the pump that was circulating coolant water to the Generator II reactor for many days to keep it from melting. The emergency pumps ran out a day later and the reactors started to overheat. Then numerous hydrogen-air chemical explosions occurred. In Unit 1-3 of the plant zirconium fuel cladding-water reaction was producing 800-1000kg of hydrogen gas and when everything began to melt and be released from the reactor pressure vessel it was mixed with air creating the explosions. Although no one died due to the plant disaster, scientists and doctors believe that the risk of cancer is at a much higher rate in the areas surrounding the plant, due to the release of radioactive material. there was a major evacuation of the area after the incident. Due to transportation, new living arrangements, and hospital closures due to the earthquake, 1,600 people died as of August 2013. World Health Organization did a report after the event. They stated that people living in the areas surrounding Fukushima now have a higher risk of thyroid cancer for women, and some cancer risks for babies and infants. Not many for men or children due to the type of radiation. tFemale babies exposed are now at a 6% chance of breast cancer and a 70% chance of thyroid cancer. Male babies are at 7% chance of getting leukemia.
              After this all occurred, Japan elected a commission group to investigate what went on at Fukushima. What they found was surprising. They believe that the whole disaster could have been avoided. The commission says that Fukushima was not built to withstand earthquakes or tsunamis properly. Nothing was done to prepare. They said three things needed to be done. 1. asses the probability of damage 2. prepare for collateral damage from a disaster and 3. set up evacuation plans for the towns surrounding Fukushima in the event of a disaster. In 2013 a report that water was being contaminated by nuclear radiation came to the attention of the government. The water near the plant was searched and sure enough a few storage tanks were leaking. It was studied and proven to be a very low amount that as of right now will not be a threat.
            Japan is now strategizing new ways to power the country. They are trying to ease off of nuclear power to diminish the probability of more incidents. Japan has working on switching over to renewable energy generation. This has increased 2.08 million kw in 2012. This is the amount that three power plants would produce. Wind energy has become more prominent. Near shore and off shore turbines have been established. In 2012 the wind power generation capacity was 63,000kW. Biomass generation capacity has also been used and is growing. In 2013 it has increased 38,000 kW. They are using hydroelectric power plants. They are being set up in mountain streams, rivers, and public water supplies. Water goes into pipes and turns small turbines. It is a small amount of electricity produced, but comes in handy when powering mountain offices and restrooms for hikers and tourists. Solar power has also gone up. Geothermal and hydropower however have been little to none. Right now Japan is relying on thermal energy as the main source; but are working to have renewable energy as the main source. The plan however is going to take 30-40 years. Japans next step is to find ways to keep these alternative sources going and make them stronger.


Sources:

 

"Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

"Workers Reconnect Fukushima Pipe." Fukushima Accident. World Nuclear News, 10 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

Connel, Sean. "Checking In on Japan's Renewable Energy Capacity." Green Conduct News. Green Conduct, 27 Aug. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

News, Penza. "Alternative Energy Sources Won’t Fully Cover Japan’s Energy Needs – Analysis." Eurasia Review. N.p., 26 July 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

 

"Japan's Alternative Energy Initiative - Wind Power Generation & Technology." Japan Alternative Energy Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

How does a solar cell work? Experiment

The experiment this week focused on solar cells. How it works is by generating a voltage on the two wires by shining light onto them. Sunlight hits the material and the lights energy is absorberd by the material. Then the material extracts the electron flow out, creating a voltage. Solar cells are 21% efficient. They are more efficient than a light bulb, but not by much. A light bulb is only 10% efficient. I was very surprised by this. Light bulbs is everyone's main source of light in their homes, I figured there would be a higher efficiency. The point of the experiment was to measure the voltage produced by the light, that would shine on the solar cell. We would study light intensity as well. The higher the energy the higher the voltage. The ultimate goal of the experiment was to look at the amount of voltage that would generate by the provolatic effect in a silicon solar cell. How? By looking at light vs. Distance. The farther away the light will be the lower the intensity. We used a small cell, flashlight, and colored filters. The colors were to block certain wavelengths. So we took the solar cell and first calculated the voltage at 0cm without light; directly against the flashlight. Next it was 0cm with light. Then 4cm, 8cm, 12cm, and 16cm. As predicted, the farther away the flashlight was, the lower the number was. Next was the color filters. We had yellow, blue, green, and red. Blue, green, and red all had a similar number but yellow's was higher. This is because more light was able to get through yellow. Yellow is a close color to what the sun is. Therefore, the amount of light that will get through is greater than other colors. Here are the two graphs created for the experiment: