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- Introduction to energy technologies
- Introduction to energy technologies
- Module 6: alternative energy
This course introduces the energy technologies in use today, and those that are in the research stage as possible alternatives. This course is aligned with the textbook "Energy and the Environment" by Ristinen/Kraushaar. Instructor: Lee McMains
Introduction and instructions
In this module we will explore how much power is available from alternative energy sources and how we can (and do) capture it to do work and provide comfort. We define
alternative as alternative to fossil fuels.
Objective and Big Questions
At the completion of this module you should be able to:
- Explain how the sun can be used to generate power, both electric and non-electric.
- Discuss how solar cells (PV) work.
- Demonstrate how to incorporate passive solar in daily life.
- Explain how wind, geothermal, wave, tidal, biomass, and hydrodynamic energy sources are used as fuel sources.
- Discuss the different (and emerging) technologies that exploit alternative energy sources.
- Explain which energy sources are designed for commercial use and which have applications at the residential level.
As you work through this module please keep the following questions in mind:
- What are the proper uses and capabilities of these technologies?
- What are the risks associated with their use?
- What are their inherent limitations?
- Will their improvements come from expanded use, new applications, new materials, or different technologies?
- What is the difference between "alternative" and "renewable"?
Timeframe
We will spend 5 weeks on this module.
Reading
For this module, please begin by reading pages 90-120 and 125-165 of the textbook. Be sure to read the tables, look at the figures, and study the examples.
Study
Assignments
Non-Solar Energy Source PowerPoint
Please create a 2-page PowerPoint presentation about one of the non-solar alternative energy sources we discuss in this module (including any that we haven't yet talked about.
Pick the one that you are most interested in learning about; one slide should introduce the technology (how it works, etc) and the second should discuss the benefits and limitations (or risks) of the technology.
Case Study Summaries
Read the two articles below about non-solar alternative energy and provide summaries. Both summaries should be included in one document.
This assignment will be graded according to the following rubrics:
.
Please review both of the articles below, then write a brief summary and include the following information:
- The type of non-solar alternative energy discussed.
- The major point(s) of the article.
- A summary of the mechanics of the processes involved.
- Include your recommendations based on your reading and analysis.
Crop Residue May Be Too Valuable to Harvest for Biofuels
Harnessing Landfill Gas in Erie for Power Production
One well-written page should be sufficient for this assignment.
Questions & Answers
A golfer on a fairway is 70 m away from the green, which sits below the level of the fairway by 20 m. If the golfer hits the ball at an angle of 40° with an initial speed of 20 m/s, how close to the green does she come?
A mouse of mass 200 g falls 100 m down a vertical mine shaft and lands at the bottom with a speed of 8.0 m/s. During its fall, how much work is done on the mouse by air resistance
Can you compute that for me. Ty
Jude
what is the dimension formula of energy?
Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the study of matter,it composition,it structure and the changes it undergoes
Adjei
please, I'm a physics student and I need help in physics
Adjanou
chemistry could also be understood like the sexual attraction/repulsion of the male and female elements. the reaction varies depending on the energy differences of each given gender. + masculine -female.
Pedro
A ball is thrown straight up.it passes a 2.0m high window 7.50 m off the ground on it path up and takes 1.30 s to go past the window.what was the ball initial velocity
2. A sled plus passenger with total mass 50 kg is pulled 20 m across the snow (0.20) at constant velocity by a force directed 25° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the work of the applied force, (b) the work of friction, and (c) the total work.
you have been hired as an espert witness in a court case involving an automobile accident. the accident involved car A of mass 1500kg which crashed into stationary car B of mass 1100kg. the driver of car A applied his brakes 15 m before he skidded and crashed into car B. after the collision, car A s
can someone explain to me, an ignorant high school student, why the trend of the graph doesn't follow the fact that the higher frequency a sound wave is, the more power it is, hence, making me think the phons output would follow this general trend?
Nevermind i just realied that the graph is the phons output for a person with normal hearing and not just the phons output of the sound waves power, I should read the entire thing next time
Joseph
Follow up question, does anyone know where I can find a graph that accuretly depicts the actual relative "power" output of sound over its frequency instead of just humans hearing
Joseph
"Generation of electrical energy from sound energy | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore" ***ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7150687?reload=true
Ryan
what are the types of wave
Maurice
fine, how about you?
Mohammed
A string is 3.00 m long with a mass of 5.00 g. The string is held taut with a tension of 500.00 N applied to the string. A pulse is sent down the string. How long does it take the pulse to travel the 3.00 m of the string?
Who can show me the full solution in this problem?
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Source:
OpenStax, Introduction to energy technologies. OpenStax CNX. Sep 27, 2013 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11573/1.2
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