Alternative Energy

Solar and Wind

         After my recent study of the different alternative energy sources, the best options for new power sources seem to be wind or solar energy.  Solar and wind energy are very reliable and once you install a solar farm or a wind farm, electricity and energy can be procured for years on end. Wind is free, and nobody taxes the sun, so the expense over the long term goes down. Also, the application of these solar panels and generators to domestic appliances or suburban communities is relatively simple. So, yes unfortunately they are expensive initially but the environmental benefits are too good to argue.  There are no by-products or greenhouse gasses as results of these processes. As for the other options, geothermal energy is very scarce and can't be used as a dependent resource, so that was off the list. I like the concept of reusing waste for bio fuel as well, but it is not available to everyone. The potential danger that nuclear waste can cause from a nuclear power plant has made me stingy about that power source as well. Hydrogen seems like an innovative option, but not a simple one. Ocean energy cannot be accessed anywhere either. All in all, solar energy and wind energy seem to me the best alternate source of energy.

Projectile Motion

      Last Friday, I went to the Homecoming football game and observed different types of projectile motion. In one instance, the quarterback was throwing a long distance pass and the ball proceeded at a low arc towards the running back after being thrown with a fast initial velocity. As a contrast, there was a play in which our team was kicking a field goal. The kicker angled the ball at a greater measurement than 45 degrees but with an initial velocity that pushed it high in the air so he could achieve the height and distance required to put it through the bars. Similar dimensions were used when the opposing team punted the ball down the field at a later point in the game. Each time the quarterback threw the football, the projectile motion measurements were different. It is amazing really; how using different angles and strength capacity, a player can create the perfect pass.

Constant Acceleration

      

       
           Last week we were studying and analyzing constant acceleration in class. In order to explain the concept more relatively, I am going to use an example from the game Mouse Trap that my family and I play. Although there was much more evidence within this game, one way you could view constant acceleration was the trip down the blue staircase. Each step was a ramp that caused the metal ball to accelerate, or gain speed as it covered more distance. The speed would be very slow to start off due to the previous change in direction the ball had experienced. As it rolled downhill, the marble gained momentum and sped up. The ball ended the short distance at a faster speed than it started. Acceleration in a nutshell. And despite how hard the concept might appear, labeled as (m/s/s) and all, acceleration is pretty easy to understand and observe. You just have to know what to look for.

What Physics Is To Me

Before I signed up for my physics class, I did a little research. The dictionary definition of physics is “the study of matter, energy, and the interaction between them”, but really it is so much more. Physics is one of the most important sciences in my opinion because it governs our entire existence. It is the essence of science, because how can you understand the world without asking questions and connecting ideas. In physics, you ask fundamental questions and answer them with experiments and observations. But with these basic understandings and theories, inventors and engineers can apply physics to different facets of the world and create great things.

Physics can be applied in daily life. For instance, when I play basketball and shoot, physics can be applied to angle it correctly and add the right velocity to the ball for a perfect shot. Physics and its properties are used to make my television work. Rollercoasters at my favorite amusement park are built using the laws of physics as a guideline to make sure the ride is as safe and as thrilling as it can be. Physics in bicycling covers what forces keep my bicycle and I from falling, how gears make the bicycle efficient, and the aerodynamics of it. Physics is applied all around us all the time. I wonder where physics can be applied in your life…