Lab 7 Energy

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University of Massachusetts, Lowell *

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1100

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Mechanical Engineering

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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ENVI.1120L Name:__________________________________________ Lab 7: Energy Part 1: Energy Generation How do we produce energy in the United States? You may be familiar with the terms renewable and nonrenewable energy but what does that mean and how these different types of energy produced? Traditionally electrical energy is produced by using a turbine that causes magnets to spin around a copper metal coil. 1 There are several ways to spin a turbine. Most traditional methods involve burning coal, petroleum and natural gas to boil water to create steam. The steam rises and spins the turbine. Hydroelectric power uses flowing water and nuclear power uses the heat of nuclear reactions to again create steam. Generally, renewable energy is more efficient than traditional energy generation because it is more direct and doesn’t require the need to keep buying fuel to boil water. 1) How can energy be accessed without the need for a turbine? Through the use of photovoltaic cells, which can convert sunlight directly into electricity. 2) Name another form of energy generation other than wind, that uses a turbine but doesn’t include steam to spin the turbine. Hydropower 3) Circle the forms of energy below that are ultimately derived from solar energy . Natural Gas Wind Petroleum Nuclear Coal Biofuels 4) Which form of energy generation is adding the greatest amount of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere? a. Solar b . Coal c. Natural Gas d. Petroleum e. Nuclear 5) What caused the net decrease in carbon emissions in the US energy sector over the last decade? The increased adoption of natural gas and renewable energy resources. A lot of companies are also aiming to have a net-zero emission by 2030 so they are switching to more renewable and sustainable alternatives. 1 https://bestpracticeenergy.com/2020/08/26/energy101-electricity-generation/

Part 2: Wind Power In the last section you learned that energy can be produced by spinning a turbine containing magnets that spin around a copper coil. Wind power uses the wind to spin a turbine and create energy. You should have a small wind generator at your table. There are also three fans in the lab. Place your turbine so that it faces the fan and turn the fan on low. You will notice the turbine begin to spin. The mini turbine is attached to a red LED light. 1) What happened to the light when the fan was on low speed? The light illuminated faintly, but is somewhat visible 2) Now, turn the fan to medium. Is there a change to the light? Since there was an increase in speed there is more electricity running allowing for the light to be brighter 3) Turn the fan to high speed. Is there a change to the light? How do these changes relate to potential changes in wind speed in real-world applications? The light got even brighter; at this moment it is the brightest. In real life application higher wind speeds would result in a increase turbine rotation, leading to more electricity production. Part 3: Solar Cells Unlike traditional energy generation that uses a turbine to create energy, photovoltaic solar cells use a material called a semiconductor to create direct energy using the power of the sun. Carefully remove your solar cell from the plastic bag and place it on the table. Using the multimeter, clip the red wire on the solar cell to the red prong on the multimeter. Then clip the black wire on the solar cell to the black prong on the multimeter. Turn the multimeter on to 20 volts and record the reading here___1.74 volts______ Now, cover the multimeter with one of the transparency papers and record the reading here:________1.80____volts_______ Now add another transparency paper and record the reading here:______1.74____volts______

Now add the third transparency paper and record the reading here:______1.69___volts______ Finally add the fourth transparency paper and record the reading here:______1.65 volts__________ 1) How did the readings change with each additional transparency paper? The reading decreased with each additional transparency paper. 2) The transparency papers represent less direct light and additional atmosphere that the light must pass through before it reaches the solar cell. How does this translate to real-world applications with regards to changes in latitude and seasons? Changes in latitude and season can have a similar effect on the performance of solar cells. The angle and intensity of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface can vary so depending on the angle it can switch. Go back to your solar cell and remove the transparency papers. Your readying should return to your original reading. Add the single white piece of paper and record the reading here:_____.81 volts_________. 3) This paper represents snow cover or dust cover on the solar cell. What are the real-world implications of these changes to the energy output of the solar cell? How can that be addressed? Snow cover or dust on solar panels can reduce the efficiency by blocking or scattering sunlight. Regular cleaning of solar panels is crucial to maintain an optimal performance. You should also have a battery at your table. Using the multimeter, place the red prong on the positive side of the battery and the black prong on the negative side of the battery. Record the reading here:______1.58 volts________ 4) How is this form of energy generation similar to photovoltaic solar energy generation? How can battery power work with solar and wind power? Both battery and photovoltaic solar cells involve the generation and storage of electrical energy. While solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity, batteries store electrical energy for later use. Batteries can play a crucial role in renewable energy systems, such as solar and wind power. They act as energy storage devices, storing excess electricity. This stored energy can then be used when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing, providing a more continuous and reliable power supply.

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