Physics 2012
WHS
Short Writing Assignment
BE SURE: You PRINT your full name, the date, class and period in the upper right corner of
your paper. Ask me about any questions you may have. I expect to see paragraphs and evidence
of real thought.
Electricity & the Modern World
Before we discovered how to put electricity into wires that we could then send to every
building in the country, we relied upon other sources of energy. For example, natural
gas, coal, and kerosene (a type of oil) were used to light everything from our streets to
our homes, and also to provide us with heat. Everyone had to buy their own fuel; there
were no utility companies like we have today.
Besides, there were NO electrical
appliances at all! Think about everything you use in a typical day—from when you first
wake-up, until when you go to sleep—that uses electricity. Now, here’s your challenge:
imagine there is NO electricity; absolutely none—not even batteries are available.
Write your paper to identify some of the problems you would face, and what sorts of
things you could do to make life comfortable without any electricity. (Remember:
without electricity, there would be no refrigeration, no gasoline, or anything that’s made
in any kind of factory!) Stores could not operate and could only sell things locally made
by hand.