Chemistry
Energy & The Environment
Critical Consumer of Science and Reflection
Infographic sources ranked from most reliable to least biased to least reliable to most biased:
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/05/25/25climatewire-smart-grid-costs-are-massive-but-benefits-wi-48403.html?pagewanted=all
Secondary Source: I have classified this source as secondary because throughout the article, Peter Behr a writer for the New York Times from ClimateWire, primarily referenced the Electric Power Research Institute and the studies they have conducted. Overall, this source was very informed on the benefits of the electrical grid bringing in many economical benefits that were helpful to my infographic.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/power.htm
Secondary Source: I classified this source as secondary because it had much in common with my first source. It referenced multiple reliable outside sources including the EPA, yet mostly discussing the process behind generating electricity and not providing any original studies.
https://www.studentenergy.org/topics/electrical-grid
Secondary Source: I chose to classify this article as a secondary source because as much as it was helpful, it seemed to be more of a blog type website only conveying very basic introduction like information. It included three sections that the electrical grid is broken up into such as: Generation, transmission and distribution, and consumption.
http://breakingenergy.com/2014/11/12/the-modern-grid-connecting-people-to-power/
Secondary Source: I classified my last article as a secondary source because of its’ general lack of scientific information. However, it was beneficial due to its’ information on the benefits of “connecting people to power” and the overall convenience of the modern grid.
Because I did not originally select a primary source I have chosen to include one below:
http://www.epri.com/abstracts/Pages/ProductAbstract.aspx?ProductId=000000000001022519
a.Who are the authors of this paper, what journal is it published in and when was it published?
Date published: March 29th 2011. Based off of the abstract I read, there were no authors stated.
b. Summarize the key points from the abstract.
The primary purpose of this investigation was adress the issue that the current power delivery structure was not designed to meet the needs of the public and the high demand. Therefore, the introduction of the Smart Grid. The smart grid will help to enhance current performances including traditional upgrades and new grid technologies with renewable generation, storage, increased consumer participation, sensors, communications and computational ability.
c. Based on this abstract, what do you think the purpose of an abstract is and what information do you expect to find in the abstract of a scientific journal article?
After reading the abstract that I read regarding my topic, I have found that the main purpose of an abstract is to convey a general introduction on the experiment conducted. This would mean also including a short overview of the steps taken to complete the study and why the study itself is important.
Explain your understanding of the relationship between combusting fossil fuels, the greenhouse effect and climate change in a manner that would be appropriate for teaching a middle school student.
Gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere are known as “greenhouse gasses.” These gasses are primarily made up of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These are released into the atmosphere through human activity and industrialization such as burning fossil fuels, the transportation of gas and coal, even driving cars. However, over time these activities lead to climate change. Due to a stronger greenhouse gas effect, oceans will warm, glaciers will melt, and sea level will rise.
What is the role of scientists and engineers in society? In what ways is life as we know it better (or worse) because of their work either in basic scientific research or the development of implementable Technologies?
Often times the role of science and engineering in society is highly taken for granted. Scientists strive to improve the lives of others and eliminate the problems in the world by conducting extensive research to make a better more informed future. They aim to get rid of any bias through controlled studies and experiments, this can be done by relating specialized knowledge to current worldly topics to better understand them. Through this, scientists can create concepts and advanced technologies to shape mankind's future; for better or for worse.
In your opinion, what is the role of innovation in the development of new cleaner energy
production/consumption technologies in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the environment?
The carbon footprint is the overall amount of greenhouse emissions, mainly made up of carbon dioxide, it has a large negative effect on the environment, and it is associated with climate change and global warming. A larger carbon footprint will eventually lead to larger economic losses, bad human health, and a challenging future for wildlife. This is why now is a crucial time to change technologies to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses. Simple tasks such as turning off unused lights, electrical appliances, and using heat and cooling systems sparingly will make a difference in the long run. One technology used to fight the growing carbon footprint is a advanced LED lighting solution. The Carbon Reduction Technology website states key features of the new lighting system.
Infographic sources ranked from most reliable to least biased to least reliable to most biased:
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/05/25/25climatewire-smart-grid-costs-are-massive-but-benefits-wi-48403.html?pagewanted=all
Secondary Source: I have classified this source as secondary because throughout the article, Peter Behr a writer for the New York Times from ClimateWire, primarily referenced the Electric Power Research Institute and the studies they have conducted. Overall, this source was very informed on the benefits of the electrical grid bringing in many economical benefits that were helpful to my infographic.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/power.htm
Secondary Source: I classified this source as secondary because it had much in common with my first source. It referenced multiple reliable outside sources including the EPA, yet mostly discussing the process behind generating electricity and not providing any original studies.
https://www.studentenergy.org/topics/electrical-grid
Secondary Source: I chose to classify this article as a secondary source because as much as it was helpful, it seemed to be more of a blog type website only conveying very basic introduction like information. It included three sections that the electrical grid is broken up into such as: Generation, transmission and distribution, and consumption.
http://breakingenergy.com/2014/11/12/the-modern-grid-connecting-people-to-power/
Secondary Source: I classified my last article as a secondary source because of its’ general lack of scientific information. However, it was beneficial due to its’ information on the benefits of “connecting people to power” and the overall convenience of the modern grid.
Because I did not originally select a primary source I have chosen to include one below:
http://www.epri.com/abstracts/Pages/ProductAbstract.aspx?ProductId=000000000001022519
a.Who are the authors of this paper, what journal is it published in and when was it published?
Date published: March 29th 2011. Based off of the abstract I read, there were no authors stated.
b. Summarize the key points from the abstract.
The primary purpose of this investigation was adress the issue that the current power delivery structure was not designed to meet the needs of the public and the high demand. Therefore, the introduction of the Smart Grid. The smart grid will help to enhance current performances including traditional upgrades and new grid technologies with renewable generation, storage, increased consumer participation, sensors, communications and computational ability.
c. Based on this abstract, what do you think the purpose of an abstract is and what information do you expect to find in the abstract of a scientific journal article?
After reading the abstract that I read regarding my topic, I have found that the main purpose of an abstract is to convey a general introduction on the experiment conducted. This would mean also including a short overview of the steps taken to complete the study and why the study itself is important.
Explain your understanding of the relationship between combusting fossil fuels, the greenhouse effect and climate change in a manner that would be appropriate for teaching a middle school student.
Gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere are known as “greenhouse gasses.” These gasses are primarily made up of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These are released into the atmosphere through human activity and industrialization such as burning fossil fuels, the transportation of gas and coal, even driving cars. However, over time these activities lead to climate change. Due to a stronger greenhouse gas effect, oceans will warm, glaciers will melt, and sea level will rise.
What is the role of scientists and engineers in society? In what ways is life as we know it better (or worse) because of their work either in basic scientific research or the development of implementable Technologies?
Often times the role of science and engineering in society is highly taken for granted. Scientists strive to improve the lives of others and eliminate the problems in the world by conducting extensive research to make a better more informed future. They aim to get rid of any bias through controlled studies and experiments, this can be done by relating specialized knowledge to current worldly topics to better understand them. Through this, scientists can create concepts and advanced technologies to shape mankind's future; for better or for worse.
In your opinion, what is the role of innovation in the development of new cleaner energy
production/consumption technologies in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the environment?
The carbon footprint is the overall amount of greenhouse emissions, mainly made up of carbon dioxide, it has a large negative effect on the environment, and it is associated with climate change and global warming. A larger carbon footprint will eventually lead to larger economic losses, bad human health, and a challenging future for wildlife. This is why now is a crucial time to change technologies to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses. Simple tasks such as turning off unused lights, electrical appliances, and using heat and cooling systems sparingly will make a difference in the long run. One technology used to fight the growing carbon footprint is a advanced LED lighting solution. The Carbon Reduction Technology website states key features of the new lighting system.
- Cut down your carbon emissions and footprint
- Significantly reduce electricity bills
- Expect a typical return on investment within 1 to 5 years through energy savings alone
- Reduce your maintenance and replacement expenses
- Have your new lighting calibrated to the optimum level and spread to maximise safety and efficiency in your space