Energy and Place
Essential Questions
How does energy production impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions regarding energy production?
What did you learn about energy or energy resources from the research and design of your infographic? How has your perspective around energy production and use changed as a result of what you have learned?
I learned quite a lot about energy sources and efficiency of renewables. I really tried to look at efficiency of renewables, and some of the results surprised me. One that really surprised me was that geothermal energy is super efficient when compared to solar or wind power. Another skill I learned was how to work with Piktochart and create a visually appealing presentation. I definitely have had a shift in perspective after this project, as I did not know about geothermal energy too much, but it seems to me, now, that it seems we should be using this more.
-What were you trying to convey to your audience through the creation of your infographic? Explain your rationale for focusing on this particular topic/question.
Through my infographic, I was trying to convey the efficiency of renewable energies. We had talked a lot about how inefficient the non-renewable resources are, such as coal only produces 30% of its usable power. So, I wanted to focus on how efficient solar, wind, hydro, etc. power was. I also wanted to focus on this because, for my sense of place essay I wrote about a bike, which I had figured out could be up to 99% efficient, which I thought was really interesting. That is why I decided to write about efficiency in renewables.
How does energy production impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions regarding energy production?
What did you learn about energy or energy resources from the research and design of your infographic? How has your perspective around energy production and use changed as a result of what you have learned?
I learned quite a lot about energy sources and efficiency of renewables. I really tried to look at efficiency of renewables, and some of the results surprised me. One that really surprised me was that geothermal energy is super efficient when compared to solar or wind power. Another skill I learned was how to work with Piktochart and create a visually appealing presentation. I definitely have had a shift in perspective after this project, as I did not know about geothermal energy too much, but it seems to me, now, that it seems we should be using this more.
-What were you trying to convey to your audience through the creation of your infographic? Explain your rationale for focusing on this particular topic/question.
Through my infographic, I was trying to convey the efficiency of renewable energies. We had talked a lot about how inefficient the non-renewable resources are, such as coal only produces 30% of its usable power. So, I wanted to focus on how efficient solar, wind, hydro, etc. power was. I also wanted to focus on this because, for my sense of place essay I wrote about a bike, which I had figured out could be up to 99% efficient, which I thought was really interesting. That is why I decided to write about efficiency in renewables.
Materials Project
This project was about researching a material or object, and finding a way to improve on the certain material. This could have included writing a letter, or magazine article about an object that we could improve upon or invent. I chose to write a magazine article on flax fibers in ski cores. Overall, this project was very insightful, as I had to research a lot, but also very fun. I got to write about something I was passionate about.
Reflection “How does the structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels determine a material’s properties?” Material properties are determined by bonding of atoms. Certain atoms make allow for different bonds, covalent or ionic. These bonds are different, and define properties of a material. A covalent bond may be many separate molecules, and be a weaker overall material, whereas a ionically bonded material may be stronger, and have grid- like bonds. An Ionically bonded material may have a uniform crystalline structure under a microscope, where a covalent bond may have a crystalline or amorphous structure. These bonds are one of the many ways materials get their properties. “How has the chemistry of materials shaped our past, present and how may it shape our future?” Chemistry of materials has shaped our past by providing technological gains throughout history. Whether that be finding out how to make iron, or steel, or engineering the next carbon composite airplane, it has drastically changed history. New materials are being discovered all the time now, and this has really helped with present technology. Computers, smartphones, and cars are all examples of the chemistry of materials. There are endless possibilities in the future. |