Energy and Sense of Place Project
Essential Questions
1. How does energy production and consumption impact place?
2. How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
1. How does energy production and consumption impact place?
2. How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
Infographic |
ReflectionFrom my investigation, measuring the half-life of Barium-137, I gained real experience in a lab, became more capable of executing and completing a scientific lab, and came to a better understanding of the radioactive half-life curve. My experience in completing this lab was unique, because my lab partner and I were required to conduct our own, independent investigation, without classroom instruction on how to complete the lab. This was great experience for me because I was required thoroughly research the methods of my experiment thoroughly, more so than when we overviewed labs as a class during previous labs. I believe that I met the challenge of studying these methods because the results of the lab are excellent. I also came to a better understanding of the half-life curve, through seeing the process take place in real life, and learned that the theoretical half-life curve does not model exactly the reality of experimental data.
The purpose of my infographic was to inform my audience on the location of running nuclear reactors in the US and the immense power that nuclear power can generate. Before conducting research for this infographic, I was unaware of the location and number of running nuclear reactors in the US and realized that there are many other people with this lack of understanding. I realized that it is important to be aware of where our energy comes from, specifically nuclear energy, and how much of the electrical power we used is Nuclear. I also realized the immense density of Uranium, which I was not familiar with either, and how much power is contained in such a small amount of Uranium, which I found intriguing and necessary to include in my infographic. |
Synthetic Spider Sılk
In nature, there are many phenomena that have inspired human invention throughout the ages. Spider silk is one of these inspiring materials and it may soon be synthetically produced on a large commercial scale. Spider silk is a flexible and ductile material that, for its weight, has tensile strength at least as strong as steel. It is also three times more durable than Kevlar and has many possible applications from a steel cable substitute to alternative violin stings.
Spider Silk is a natural polymer primarily made up of nonpolar amino acids alanine and glycine. An example of a polymeric structure is shown on the right. When humans are able to synthesize a material that mimics the features of spider silk and is able to be produced efficiently and on a large scale, the potential applications of the material will be limitless. According to Lina Römer and Thomas Scheibel of the US national library of medicine: “Distinct spider silk threads are able to absorb three times more energy than Kevlar, one of the sturdiest materials on a weight-to-weight basis”. When spider silk is able to be used to replace Kevlar everything would be improved from tennis rackets to shoelaces. Spider silk’s density is close to 1.31 g/cm3. In comparison the density of the density of Kevlar is 1.44 g/cm3, steel is about 8 g/cm3, and the density of graphite is approximately 2.15 g/cm3. Because of its durability (3 times more durable than Kevlar) and tensile strength, synthetic spider silk has many untapped uses. One possibility is an alternative to steel cable. A product complimentary to the durability and strength of spider silk is that it is hydrophobic. This is because of the amino acids that make up spider silk. Because it is water insoluble and hydrophobic it could create cables that could be used underwater. Hydrophobic rope could also be useful because unlike other synthetic rope it will not increase in weight when it comes into contact with water because it does not absorb water. Ropes and cables made of spider silk will be unique because of spider silk’s hydrophobic properties, its tensile strength, and low density. But an even more interesting possibility lies in the world of music. Spider silk has already been used by a few professional violinists but the time and effort it takes to create these strings is colossal. The ability to commercially produce synthetic spider silk violin strings would be groundbreaking. Commercially producing spider silk violin strings is an intriguing because the instrument would have a completely unique tone. Because its tensile strength is greater than commonly used steel strings it may last longer as well. Another interesting possible use for synthetic spider string is as a sewing fiber. The spider silk would be a high stress material and could be used for such applications as sails, or a replacement to burlap. Furthermore, spider silk is that it is not rejected by the human body. According to Alex Scott; “…Because the silk is not rejected by the human body, it can be used to manufacture artificial tendons or to coat implants…” Artificial spider silk could also be used as a part of a wound patch, this would keep additional moisture from collecting on the wound. The current problem with the possibility of spider silk is that artificial spider silk is not cost effective to create. The amino acids it is made of are extremely hard to replicate. The artificial spider silk that is produced today is produced on a very small scale and is very expensive, according to Ben Hansen spider silk production costs are around $100,000 per kilogram. But eventually the production is bound to become more efficient and the price lower, it is just a matter of time. Artificial spider silk’s possibilities are only limited by imagination. With a material stronger and more durable than any in commercial use today spider silk could change the world. |
Polymeric Structure(spider silk is made up of a polymeric structure containing amino acids glycine and glycine)
ReflectionMaterials have shaped our past in many ways. They have inspired hard work and intellectual genius among us humans and have bewildered us with perplexing and unforeseen properties. In class we learned about how the phenomenon "tin pest" may be responsible for the fall of Napoleon's French Empire.
Tin slowly transforms from β-phase to α-phase at as high as the temperature 13.2 degrees Celsius above zero. Beta form is a useful, silvery, ductile material. In Napoleon's time this type of tin was used for coat buttons. But alpha form is brittle and will eventually disintegrate. During Napoleon's invasion of Russia his soldiers may not have been able to keep on their coats because their buttons had disintegrated from the extreme cold temperature, therefore rendering his armed forces ineffective. However materials have also changed the consumer world in drastic ways as well. Henry Bessemer's invention of mass produced steel made our world of skyscrapers possible. Today there would be no buildings taller than 3 or 4 stories without the ability to mass produce steel. In the future, many of our everyday materials may be built using 3-D printing. More materials may also be on the market as well. One I foresee that I have written about in my article is synthetically produced spider silk. These materials, as well as all others are measured on the macroscopic, microscopic, molecular, and atomic levels. On the Macroscopic level, a material’s structure will give it properties that make the material useful for a specific type of material. For instance a wall is made up of material like brick because brick is sturdy, and stable. A wall obviously cannot be made out of sugar, we can see this on the macroscopic level; sugar forms in tiny crystals that do not stick to one another unlike particles of brick. On the microscopic level, we can see the difference in the structure of these materials; brick is made up of compact atoms that form in a strong cubic structure while sugar is made up of a crystalline structure that does not form in a sturdy fashion. On the molecular level we see the molecules that make up fibrous strands and other microscopic structures and molecules’ structures are made up by atoms. |