energy and place
Essential Questions:
1. How does energy production and consumption impact place?
2. How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
1. How does energy production and consumption impact place?
2. How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
Below is my INFO-GRAPHIC regarding nuclear energy & fossil fuels:
reflection:
Throughout my process of researching, designing, conducting, analyzing and writing about my own investigation, I have learned multiple things about the nature of science. For my investigation, my partner and I created a battery, and tested a variety of metals to see which would create the most powerful battery. Through this process, we learned that the nature of science can be hypothesized but it can be inevitably unpredictable as well due to faults in the experiment and unexpected reactions within the experiment. The scientist gains more insight and deeper understanding as the the investigation plays out. It is important to observe trends in the nature of science to understand what is happening at an atomic, particulate, and macroscopic level. This has shaped my perspective about science and scientists because it has showed me the process of learning as you go. Prior to the experiment, we had a general understanding of our experiment, but when you actually perform the experiment, you are able to understand the concept on a different level and gain more insight on the way the experiment is playing out on the atomic level.
I learned about the importance of the batteries in the grand scheme of energy consumption. It is crucial in the 21st century that we have access to portable energy, this would be impossible without the battery. I also learned about the way we harness and produce energy through batteries. It was important to understand which metals create the most powerful battery and why, in order to know why we use certain elements to create the most power. I also learned that the public should be aware of how energy is created, so we can know that energy should be preserved and appreciated. Specifically, the invention of batteries has propelled us in innovation and has made several of our modern conveniences possible.
Through my infographic, I learned about the benefits and disadvantages of Nuclear Energy and Fossil Fuels. This was important to compare because it is in a way observing our current energy source, with a potential future energy source. I learned that while Nuclear energy is used in much much smaller quantities and can produce immense amount of energy to serve our energy needs, it poses several hazards and is more expensive to construct. Fossil Fuels, however, are creating harm environmentally, and is not clean energy, meaning it won't assist a sustainable earth in the long run. My perspective around energy production and use has changed as a result of what I have learned by exposing me to the urge for innovation. I hope to see more of clean energy, but with less risk of nuclear disaster. In comparison with the way our energy production effects our planet, I mainly have been more conscious of my carbon footprint and the things I can do in order to reduce it.
My infographic attempted to convey the comparison between nuclear energy and fossil fuels and which one is the best option for meeting our energy needs. I chose to observe these two sources of energy because I think that the public should have more knowledge about our current primary source of energy (fossil fuels) and the potential future primary source (nuclear energy). I was trying to convey the quantity of the source that is used to produce the same amount of energy through the display of weights in my infographic. I also wanted to inform the audience with the advantages and disadvantages of both, so they could decide for themselves which is more beneficial for our planet and energy needs. I initially picked this to gain a better understanding of why we have yet to really on nuclear more heavily. I wanted to explore the pros and cons in depth to compare it to what we use as energy sources now. This topic is important to me because I want to live in a world with a more sustainable energy source that does less harm to our environment while still being able to meet our energy needs, researching it has shed light on where our energy production is right now, and where I hope to see it in the future.
I learned about the importance of the batteries in the grand scheme of energy consumption. It is crucial in the 21st century that we have access to portable energy, this would be impossible without the battery. I also learned about the way we harness and produce energy through batteries. It was important to understand which metals create the most powerful battery and why, in order to know why we use certain elements to create the most power. I also learned that the public should be aware of how energy is created, so we can know that energy should be preserved and appreciated. Specifically, the invention of batteries has propelled us in innovation and has made several of our modern conveniences possible.
Through my infographic, I learned about the benefits and disadvantages of Nuclear Energy and Fossil Fuels. This was important to compare because it is in a way observing our current energy source, with a potential future energy source. I learned that while Nuclear energy is used in much much smaller quantities and can produce immense amount of energy to serve our energy needs, it poses several hazards and is more expensive to construct. Fossil Fuels, however, are creating harm environmentally, and is not clean energy, meaning it won't assist a sustainable earth in the long run. My perspective around energy production and use has changed as a result of what I have learned by exposing me to the urge for innovation. I hope to see more of clean energy, but with less risk of nuclear disaster. In comparison with the way our energy production effects our planet, I mainly have been more conscious of my carbon footprint and the things I can do in order to reduce it.
My infographic attempted to convey the comparison between nuclear energy and fossil fuels and which one is the best option for meeting our energy needs. I chose to observe these two sources of energy because I think that the public should have more knowledge about our current primary source of energy (fossil fuels) and the potential future primary source (nuclear energy). I was trying to convey the quantity of the source that is used to produce the same amount of energy through the display of weights in my infographic. I also wanted to inform the audience with the advantages and disadvantages of both, so they could decide for themselves which is more beneficial for our planet and energy needs. I initially picked this to gain a better understanding of why we have yet to really on nuclear more heavily. I wanted to explore the pros and cons in depth to compare it to what we use as energy sources now. This topic is important to me because I want to live in a world with a more sustainable energy source that does less harm to our environment while still being able to meet our energy needs, researching it has shed light on where our energy production is right now, and where I hope to see it in the future.
Elevator pitch
I want you to imagine a life without global communication… you can’t email your cousin in Europe, or Skype conference call to China. Our country was simply barricaded from others in terms of communication… or so it was until the groundbreaking utilization of glass inside of fiber optics. As we speak there are optical fibers lying on the bottom of the ocean serving the world global communication at our fingertips. Thanks to glass, we are able to book our next flight abroad instantaneously. In my book, “How Glass Has Altered History: The Core of Fiber Optics”, I explore the possibility of glass being the driving force of globalization in the 21st century. This technology has allowed us to communicate overseas in more ways and more easily than ever before. We are able to exploit this amount of accessibility to express our culture and voice to other continents. Due to this amount of convenience, we have made more use of the first amendment as well. The significance of optical fibers has assisted immense amount of change in communication and imperialism, so I urge you to keep this in mind and appreciate the small and intricate ways in which our world works.
Materials unit project Reflection
The chemistry of materials has shaped our past and present by enabling us to alter a material to our benefit. Due to the high supply and demand of our modern day world, we must keep an innovative approach to creation to have a sufficient globe. Materials have allowed us to do just this. We are able to use the good qualities in materials to our advantage. For example, we have used materials to make more fuel efficient cars like the Prius, has a "274-volt nickel-metal hydride battery array" that provides the electricity that the car needs, and without the alteration of nickel, hydrogen, and other components these cars would be impossible. The chemistry of materials will change our future because we will never stop finding ways to alter them, or create new materials and as we continue to progress, materials will progress along side us.
The structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic levels determine a materials properties drastically. For example, glass has a strong covalent network on the molecular level, which makes it strong and useful for building and many other uses as well. One small thing can make a big difference when it comes to matter, glass would not have the strength it does without a strong covalent network. This applies to all materials, the smallest detail in matter can effect the material as a whole by altering its physical and chemical changes. When looking at this in perspective we realize how important these levels of matter are and why they are relevant on a daily basis.
The structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic levels determine a materials properties drastically. For example, glass has a strong covalent network on the molecular level, which makes it strong and useful for building and many other uses as well. One small thing can make a big difference when it comes to matter, glass would not have the strength it does without a strong covalent network. This applies to all materials, the smallest detail in matter can effect the material as a whole by altering its physical and chemical changes. When looking at this in perspective we realize how important these levels of matter are and why they are relevant on a daily basis.
materials project: how a material has altered history
How Glass Has Altered History: The Core of Fiber Optics
Glass has been a tremendous force in the history of mankind. From a glass bottle to the stained glass in a gothic cathedral to the core of fiber optics, our society has made leaps and bounds in technology and society, facilitated by the presence of glass.
Hair thin fibers strung out at the bottom of the ocean are transmitting vast amounts of information around the world at this very moment. These hair thin fibers are known as fiber optics: a unique technology built from bundles of transparent fibers that transmit light. Without glass, these optical fibers would be inefficient and unimaginable. We rely on optical fibers to give us worldwide connection, social media, national security, international commerce and high speed Internet. Fiber optics has served many purposes on an individual level and for the world at large.
Glass, unlike plastic in optical fibers, is able to withstand high and low temperatures and is typically more durable due to its strong covalent network, and it does not react with other materials, making it less likely to be broken down by acids. Specifically, silica is the glass within optical fibers. Silica has an ample wavelength range, creating high-quality optical transparency. It is in close proximity to the infrared spectrum (around 1.5 wavelength); silica has a very low absorption as well. Silica has a low viscosity curve. It’s fibers have high mechanical strength and are chemically stable. It has a low tendency for a breakdown, which makes it a reliable material when pulses of energy are going through it. These physical and chemical properties make silica glass an ideal component to optical fibers.
Total internal reflection is a phenomenon present in fiber optics. Total internal reflection is used to keep light trapped within the core of the fiber. It bounces off in a zigzag pattern (see figure 1). The light travels in an optical fiber by continually reflecting off the cladding, and because the light is being reflected rather than absorbed, the light wave can travel large distances. This is how the light is transmitted in optical fibers.
Figure 1:
As a whole, fiber optics have a massive capacity for transmitting information, making the data potential nearly limitless, because they carry light. Optical fibers are also low cost, which allows the majority of the world and common public access to fiber optic data. It also possesses a high resistance to interruption that could potentially disturb the fibers from transmitting valuable data worldwide.
The outbreak of glass in optical fibers can be correlated with the recent prominent push of the first amendment and the potential metamorphosis of our democracy. Since optical fibers are the backbone of our worldwide communication and high speed Internet, it has become the core of our tech-savvy generation. The recent era has promoted vast amounts of social change through social media and quick communication. Without fiber optics, we would still be in a society of little mass media and less power within the people. Optical fibers have given the people an enormous amount of potential for democratic change and the ability to change the face of advertising, campaigning, and an overall interconnectedness within our society. Now, the average civilian has the ability to spread his or her voice and opinion to nearly anyone at the push of a button. This increases potential for innovation and generates change when more opinions are being proposed to the world.
The presence of optical fibers in the 21st Century can also connect to cultural imperialism. Our worldwide connection allows us to force Westernization on to other countries. We are able to implement our free market and freedom of speech overseas. There are also negative sides to the advancement of fiber optics, because we see less and less cultural diversity as a result. Our individuality is beginning to decline, and it is disheartening to watch as our world collapses into a homogenous blend of uniformed cultural. “Today, with the advancement of technology, the world has become increasingly interconnected. With this increase in connection and communication, countries’ borders are also increasingly blurry as cultures cross borders and new people adopt new ways of life and new manners of thinking,” says a the author of the blog “A Cultural Collision.” As our world continues to globalize, and as our worldwide interconnectedness insists on expanding, the power and influence of the U.S. on other countries is increasing its presence every day, and a great deal of this culpability lies with the role of fiber optics.
The small, yet progressive advancements in glass to create fiber optics has allowed America to construct a network where we can benefit within our country and at a global scale. These advancements have propelled us forward into these monumental possibilities that we have barely touched as a nation. Glass and our ability to change it continues to prove its worth in our society and our innovative technology.
Glass has been a tremendous force in the history of mankind. From a glass bottle to the stained glass in a gothic cathedral to the core of fiber optics, our society has made leaps and bounds in technology and society, facilitated by the presence of glass.
Hair thin fibers strung out at the bottom of the ocean are transmitting vast amounts of information around the world at this very moment. These hair thin fibers are known as fiber optics: a unique technology built from bundles of transparent fibers that transmit light. Without glass, these optical fibers would be inefficient and unimaginable. We rely on optical fibers to give us worldwide connection, social media, national security, international commerce and high speed Internet. Fiber optics has served many purposes on an individual level and for the world at large.
Glass, unlike plastic in optical fibers, is able to withstand high and low temperatures and is typically more durable due to its strong covalent network, and it does not react with other materials, making it less likely to be broken down by acids. Specifically, silica is the glass within optical fibers. Silica has an ample wavelength range, creating high-quality optical transparency. It is in close proximity to the infrared spectrum (around 1.5 wavelength); silica has a very low absorption as well. Silica has a low viscosity curve. It’s fibers have high mechanical strength and are chemically stable. It has a low tendency for a breakdown, which makes it a reliable material when pulses of energy are going through it. These physical and chemical properties make silica glass an ideal component to optical fibers.
Total internal reflection is a phenomenon present in fiber optics. Total internal reflection is used to keep light trapped within the core of the fiber. It bounces off in a zigzag pattern (see figure 1). The light travels in an optical fiber by continually reflecting off the cladding, and because the light is being reflected rather than absorbed, the light wave can travel large distances. This is how the light is transmitted in optical fibers.
Figure 1:
As a whole, fiber optics have a massive capacity for transmitting information, making the data potential nearly limitless, because they carry light. Optical fibers are also low cost, which allows the majority of the world and common public access to fiber optic data. It also possesses a high resistance to interruption that could potentially disturb the fibers from transmitting valuable data worldwide.
The outbreak of glass in optical fibers can be correlated with the recent prominent push of the first amendment and the potential metamorphosis of our democracy. Since optical fibers are the backbone of our worldwide communication and high speed Internet, it has become the core of our tech-savvy generation. The recent era has promoted vast amounts of social change through social media and quick communication. Without fiber optics, we would still be in a society of little mass media and less power within the people. Optical fibers have given the people an enormous amount of potential for democratic change and the ability to change the face of advertising, campaigning, and an overall interconnectedness within our society. Now, the average civilian has the ability to spread his or her voice and opinion to nearly anyone at the push of a button. This increases potential for innovation and generates change when more opinions are being proposed to the world.
The presence of optical fibers in the 21st Century can also connect to cultural imperialism. Our worldwide connection allows us to force Westernization on to other countries. We are able to implement our free market and freedom of speech overseas. There are also negative sides to the advancement of fiber optics, because we see less and less cultural diversity as a result. Our individuality is beginning to decline, and it is disheartening to watch as our world collapses into a homogenous blend of uniformed cultural. “Today, with the advancement of technology, the world has become increasingly interconnected. With this increase in connection and communication, countries’ borders are also increasingly blurry as cultures cross borders and new people adopt new ways of life and new manners of thinking,” says a the author of the blog “A Cultural Collision.” As our world continues to globalize, and as our worldwide interconnectedness insists on expanding, the power and influence of the U.S. on other countries is increasing its presence every day, and a great deal of this culpability lies with the role of fiber optics.
The small, yet progressive advancements in glass to create fiber optics has allowed America to construct a network where we can benefit within our country and at a global scale. These advancements have propelled us forward into these monumental possibilities that we have barely touched as a nation. Glass and our ability to change it continues to prove its worth in our society and our innovative technology.