Physics 11 - Your Energy Footprint Project Questions and predicting: 1) If energy is conserved, why do people keep saying “we will run out of energy sources” - Energy is conserved so it is not possible to create or destroy energy; however, it is still possible for the usable energy to be transformed into other forms of energy that is no longer able to be used. For example, heat energy is something that can no longer be captured and reused. 2) In what ways are you personally contributing to the depletion of electrical energy? - Like most people, I am using electrical appliances in my day to day life, which is all contributing to the depletion of energy. One example of this can be driving a car or using my laptop or phone. 3) What are some devices that you use that are more energy draining than others? - I think cars are very energy draining, especially cars that use gasoline. It’s used frequently by everyone, including myself, and it is extremely energy extensive. Another would be the heater. Especially during the Winter, a heater could have a large contribution to the energy I use. 4) How much energy do you estimate yourself using every day? - I would estimate around 30 kWh, just based on the average household energy consumption in Canada. Planning and conducting: 1) What are some of the possible ways to track down your energy usage? - I think the easiest way to track your energy usage is through the BC hydro website where it allows you to track your electricity use. There are also “green apps” available to download on your phone to track your energy usage as well. I think it’s most reasonable to measure energy usage every day because for once a month or once a year, it’s easy to forget and lose track. Through keeping track every day, you will begin to get more keen on your usages and how much energy each device consumes. 2) How would you estimate energy usage for devices which you are not the sole user of? - If it’s something that the household shares, I would measure the amount of energy then divide it by the number of people in the household. It is probably not completely accurate, but I don’t think there’s an exact way to measure how much energy I solely consume. 3) What are some appropriate ways to organize your data? - I think using an excel spreadsheet would be a great way to keep track of all your numbers and calculations. It’s also very accessible and easy to make graphs and charts out of. 4) Pick at least 10 items that are commonly used every day. Record the power rating and/or energy rating. Track down the amount of time that the device runs in a period of your choice. - Fridge - 180 watts - 24 hours/day = 4320 Watts - Dishwasher - 1800 watts - 1 hour/day = 1800 watts - Phone - 5.45 watts - 4 hours/day =21.8 watts - Macbook - 54.5 watts - 4 hours/day = 218 watts - TV - 100 watts - 2 hours/day = 200 watts - LED lights - 60 watts - 8 hours/day = 480 watts - Lamp - 40 watts - 5 hours/day = 200 watts - Washer - 500 watts - 1 hour/day = 500 watts - Hair dryer - 1200 watts - 1 hour/day = 1200 watts - Microwave - 1200 watts - 1 hour/day = 1200 watts Processing and analyzing 1) Look up the cost of electricity in your area. Estimate the amount of money you have to pay for your own energy usage in your billing cycle. - 10139.8 watts per day x 30 days a month = 304 kWh - In BC, the average cost of electricity is $0.129 per kWh - $0.129 x 304 kWh = $39.22 / month 2) Identify items that use up more energy than others. Compare with a bar graph and/or pie chart. Do they have any similarities in their functions or characteristics? - It is visible that the fridge uses the most amount of energy because it is used all day every day to keep our food cold The dishwasher, hair dryer and microwave also use up a significant amount of energy - It may be due to the fact that they use an extensive amount of energy to quickly produce thermal energy 3) Are there any devices that you can potentially reduce the energy based on the amount of time they are one? - It may be possible to reduce the amount of energy used by the dishwasher by hand washing my dishes, especially since it is very energy extensive - It may also be possible to reduce the amount of energy used by lamps or lights because now that it’s summer, it is reasonable not to turn on the lights during the day - I don’t think it’s possible to reduce the amount of energy used by the fridge unless we replace it with a smaller, less energy draining type of fridge, which I don’t think is possible since we have 5 people in our family and need the space Evaluating 1) What were some assumptions you had to make? - I had to make an educated guess as to how many hours per day each appliance was used. For instance, some days, we would not use the microwave and some days we’d use it - several times a day. It’s difficult to get an exact number, but I think my assumptions were reasonable. I also had to make the assumption that energy usage is the same all throughout the year. I would assume there to be more energy usage in the winter and less in the summer as it is warmer. I would also assume that different appliances would be used when on vacation; for instance, an airplane would be massively energy extensive. 2) Scientists often claim that “no devices are 100% efficient”. In some electrical devices, what are some potential places where energy is “wasted”? - I would assume that a lot of the energy would be wasted as heat in appliances such as hair dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, etc. The heat energy would be transferred to its surroundings. Loud machines can also be wasted as sound energy. 3) Where does your city get its energy from? Are these energy sources considered “renewable” or “nonrenewable”? - Vancouver gets most of its energy from hydroelectric dams, which is a renewable source of energy harnessed from the power of flowing water - I think the idea that energy may be running out makes sense to me after learning about how energy is always wasted. Some time in the future, there may come a time where we have used up all the energy available to us in our planet and no longer have the luxury of using appliances that waste so much energy Applying and innovating 1) What are some realistic ways to improve your energy usage at home? - Changing all of our light bulbs to less extensive LED lights - Using natural light instead of turning on the light in every room - Keeping the refrigerator as full as possible as it is most efficient when it’s full - Using cold water to wash clothes 2) Why would someone be opposed to improving energy usage at home? - Someone who is uneducated on the efficiency of the devices they use would be unwilling to improve their energy usage - Someone who does not believe that energy can run out will not worry about wasting energy Bibliography How is hydroelectricity generated? (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://www.enbridge.com/energy-matters/energy-school/hydro-generation Instantly compare electric rates offered by local providers. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://www.electricchoice.com/blog/green-apps-track-energy-usage/ Myth debunked: If energy is conserved, why are we running out of it? (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/myth-debunked-if-energy-is-conserved-why-are-we-running-out-o f-it.802710 Open textbooks. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://intl.siyavula.com/read/science/grade-7/energy-transfer-to-surroundings/15-energy-transfer-to-surro undings Residential electricity and natural Gas plans & options. (2020, September 01). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://energyrates.ca/residential-electricity-natural-gas/ Track your electricity use. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2021, from https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/residential/tools-and-calculators/track-your-electricity-use.html
