Far from being large
and a mass of one
a proton has a positive charge
while a neutron has none.
Inside the nucleus it will always hide
the atomic number is what it will reveal
while the electrons roam on the outside
there are many things a proton can conceal.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Journal #11 Fossil Fuels
One type of energy we have been studying in chemistry is fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are made of the remains of living things in the earth. Two examples of fossil fuels are oil and coal. Oil forms at the bottom of an ocean, and coal forms in swampy lowland environments. Fossil fuels are often used to create electricity to power homes, buildings, and other structures or devices we see on a daily basis. According to the American Coal Foundation, “Nine out of every 10 tons of coal mined in the United States today is used to generate electricity, and more than half of the electricity used in this country is coal-generated electricity.” I personally do not support the use of fossil fuels for energy.
How are fossil fuels turned into electricity? The fossil fuel is heated in a boiler to create steam. The steam is used to power a turbine, which changes the heat energy from the fossil fuel into mechanical energy, which makes the magnets and the copper coil in the turbine spin. When the turbine spins, the mechanical energy is turned into electric energy, and used for electricity. After this process is complete, a condenser cools the steam, turning it into water. The water goes back into the boiler and the process restarts. The process for turning oil into electricity is slightly different than the process for turning coal into electricity, because coal is a solid, and oil is a liquid. Since the coal is a solid, a machine must grind the coal into a powder before it is heated in boiler. The powder is mixed with hot air to make burning more efficient and is then moved to a furnace. This is one reason why I am against the use of fossil fuels for energy is that the process of releasing energy from the fossil fuels is extremely harmful to the environment and causes acid rain.
Fossil fuels are non renewable resources. This means that after a while, we will run out of them. A New York Times Article titled “Coal,” discussed the growing use of and need for coal. The consumption of coal has increased, which will only add to the pollution and smog problem. “According to a recent U.S. Energy Department study, world coal consumption could increase by 65 percent between 2005 and 2030.” (New York Times) The article also talks about how the burning of fossil fuels like coal creates coal ash, which is an extremely hazardous substance. The article explains how the Democratic Party is fighting to regulate the usage of production of electricity from fossil fuels, and how the government is acknowledging that there is an issue, but does not really do anything about the issue yet.
How are fossil fuels turned into electricity? The fossil fuel is heated in a boiler to create steam. The steam is used to power a turbine, which changes the heat energy from the fossil fuel into mechanical energy, which makes the magnets and the copper coil in the turbine spin. When the turbine spins, the mechanical energy is turned into electric energy, and used for electricity. After this process is complete, a condenser cools the steam, turning it into water. The water goes back into the boiler and the process restarts. The process for turning oil into electricity is slightly different than the process for turning coal into electricity, because coal is a solid, and oil is a liquid. Since the coal is a solid, a machine must grind the coal into a powder before it is heated in boiler. The powder is mixed with hot air to make burning more efficient and is then moved to a furnace. This is one reason why I am against the use of fossil fuels for energy is that the process of releasing energy from the fossil fuels is extremely harmful to the environment and causes acid rain.
Fossil fuels are non renewable resources. This means that after a while, we will run out of them. A New York Times Article titled “Coal,” discussed the growing use of and need for coal. The consumption of coal has increased, which will only add to the pollution and smog problem. “According to a recent U.S. Energy Department study, world coal consumption could increase by 65 percent between 2005 and 2030.” (New York Times) The article also talks about how the burning of fossil fuels like coal creates coal ash, which is an extremely hazardous substance. The article explains how the Democratic Party is fighting to regulate the usage of production of electricity from fossil fuels, and how the government is acknowledging that there is an issue, but does not really do anything about the issue yet.
Sources
Article- http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/coal/index.html?scp=5&sq=use%20of%20fossil%20fuels&st=cse
Other sources
http://www.powerscorecard.org/tech_detail.cfm?resource_id=8
http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/fossilfuels.htm
http://www.teachcoal.org/aboutcoal/articles/coalconvert.html
Friday, December 2, 2011
Nuclear Power Activity
PART ONE QUESTIONS
1) The eastern part of the United States is in a potentioally dangerous area, as is almost all of Europe and Southern East Asia. (Japan)
2) Thia map tells where it is safe to put plants, however since Japan is so small, plant designers probably put plants wherever they could.. This would affect the crisis in Japan because since there are dangerous nuclear areas, it would affect the amount of agriculture produced.
PART TWO QUESTIONS
3) One of the more important issues is fire protection problems. Thia problem is thte most dangerous because it is the most life threatening and the second mot common safety issue among nuclear reactors. One reactor is Browns Ferry Unit 1 Reactor in Decatur, Alabama.
4) The Eureka California Reactor, The Clay Station California Reactor, The Avila Beach California Reactors, the San Clemente California Reactors, and the Wintersberg Arizona Reactors are dangerously close to an earthquake epicenter. I think these reactors should be shut down because if an earthquake were to happen, then these reactors would cause a crisis close to what happened in japan. I think the Avila Beach California Reactor is in the most danger because it is right on the coast of California.
1) The eastern part of the United States is in a potentioally dangerous area, as is almost all of Europe and Southern East Asia. (Japan)
2) Thia map tells where it is safe to put plants, however since Japan is so small, plant designers probably put plants wherever they could.. This would affect the crisis in Japan because since there are dangerous nuclear areas, it would affect the amount of agriculture produced.
PART TWO QUESTIONS
3) One of the more important issues is fire protection problems. Thia problem is thte most dangerous because it is the most life threatening and the second mot common safety issue among nuclear reactors. One reactor is Browns Ferry Unit 1 Reactor in Decatur, Alabama.
4) The Eureka California Reactor, The Clay Station California Reactor, The Avila Beach California Reactors, the San Clemente California Reactors, and the Wintersberg Arizona Reactors are dangerously close to an earthquake epicenter. I think these reactors should be shut down because if an earthquake were to happen, then these reactors would cause a crisis close to what happened in japan. I think the Avila Beach California Reactor is in the most danger because it is right on the coast of California.
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