LAST POST

1. Ways to produce electrical energy.

There are different ways of producing energy. All of these different sources of energy add to the store of electrical power that then is sent out to different locations via high powered lines.

These are the renewable sources of producing eletricity:

-SOLAR ENERGY: it catches the energy of the sun through collector panels. Many homes use solar systems to provide for hot water, cooling and supplement their electricity.

-WIND ENERGY: Air flow through wind turbines to mechanically power generators for electric power.

-GEOTHERMAL ENERGY: Produced from the heat inside the earth. High temperatures are produced continuously inside the earth's crust, the earth heats up the water that produces steam and finally the steam helps to move the turbines.

-TIDAL AND WAVE ENERGY: Tidal energy is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of the tides into electricity.

-HYDRAULIC OR HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY: A form of energy generated by the conversion of free-falling water to electricity (waterfalls).

-BIOMASS ENERGY: Organic matter, especially plant matter, that can be converted to fuel.

These are the non-rewenable sources of producing electricity:

-THERMAL: Coming from burning coal, oil and natural gas.

-NUCLEAR: Uranium.

POWER PLANTS

2. Some innovations about saving or producing energy.

-Printable solar panels: these solar inks can be printed on to rolls of plastic.

-Floating wind turbines: they will generate enough energy to power 20,000 homes.

-Solar balloons for refugee camps: electricity is sent back to the ground where it can be stored in a battery or used immediately.

-A renewable streetlight that fights mosquitos: it combats the climate change and fights mosquito diseases (solar panel and wind turbine)-

3. Give some advice of how to save energy at home.

There are lots of ways of saving energy. For example, put bulbs of low consumption, in summer ventile the house as much as you can in order to avoid putting air conditioner, cover the pots when you cook because it will cook faster...

4. About your solar device.

My solar device consists of a black box filled with newpaper balls inside, the top sides of the box are covered with aluminum foil to produce more heat. It has a smaller black box inside the big one and a glass on the top in order to catch the solar rays. It has been easy to make and in my opinion I think that we have done a good job and it will work. We want to cook a sandwhich with melted cheese.

5. About the subject of technology. What do you like most? What less? What would you improve for next year?

What I have liked the most about technology has been doing projects in the workshop because I learned how to cut things with the machines and a lot of more things that made me feel like an engineer. Also I liked to work in groups.

What I have liked the less have been all the things related with the scratch, because I'm not very good with this type of things so I couldn't do a lot of things because I didn't know how to do something etc. Also I didn't like that much all the problems about the voltage, current...

What I would improve would be not spending a lot of days in the computers room and learn more things about the workshop because I think that is more useful the workshop, moreover I like it more.

6. Which is your favourite software/program used this year?

My favourite program used this year has been Powtoon.

I think it's a very useful and well organised program to make presentations. I enjoyed  making the task that we had to use Powtoon!

TRY ENGINEERING

    1. What does it mean to be an engineer?

An engineer is a person who's job is to design materials, structures, and         systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety and cost.

The work of engineers forms the link between scientific discoveries and their applications to human and business needs and quality of life.

In my words, an engineer is an inventor and his job is to discover and create things that will improve the world.

          

   2. How has been your experience with your team? Has all the members worked?

My experience with my team has been great! I think that we have done a good job (although in the end didn't work) and worked as a team because we helped eachother when someone didn't know how to do something or when someone had a problem.

Yes! Absolutely all the members have worked, we planned and divided the work so I think that we have been organized.

   3. Have you achieved the goal? What was wrong? How could it be improved?

No, we haven't achieved our goal because of the time and all the problems we had. Our idea wasn't exactly what we have created.

There have been several problems, some of them we have been able to solve and others no. The majority of problems we have had, have been related to the rotation of the mill blades since we weren't sure if it would work. In the end, the only thing that was wrong was that we put the blades too low so they touched the table.

It could be improved by putting the blades higher and by decorating it more.

    4. Have you worked as an engineer? Why? How have you felt?

In my opinion and knowing what is to be an engineer I think that yes because we have created our windmill with our own idea and while we were doing it we have discovered new things.

I felt normal but with a little more of responsibility. Sometimes I was stressed because things didn't work  and sometimes I was happy because it worked.

    5. Personal opinion.

I think that this activity has been very useful and educational. Useful because maybe someone has realized that this is what he/she wants to be and do in the future and educational because we have discovered how to do new things.

I liked it!

      SOURCES OF INFORMATION:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer

 https://baddiuniv.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ME2-1.jpg

 https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/un-granero-con-un-molino-de-viento-    31092365.jpg 

CLEAN UP PLASTICS FROM THE OCEANS

Plastics in the ocean are a big problem.

 There are over 5 trillion pieces of plastic currently litter the ocean. Throwing a plastic in the ocean is a huge problem because we are polluting it, we are killing all the fauna (especially marine animals) and destroying the environment only by throwing a little piece of plastic in it.

I think that the most serious problem with plastics is that they don't easily degrade. They may break down, but only into smaller pieces. The smaller those pieces get, the more places they can go.

Humans are also affected by the plastic pollution.

 In 2008, our global plastic consumption worldwide has been estimated at 260 million tons, and, according to a 2012 report by Global Industry Analysts, plastic consumption is to reach 297.5 million tons by the end of 2015.

       

                       

               

 Boyan Slat (1994) is a young Dutch inventor and entreprenuer who creates technologies to solve social problems. When he was 15 he realased the huge problem of plastics in the ocean. He was so interested on that that he started to investigate.

He is the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, which develops advanced technologies to rid world’s oceans of plastic.

Instead of going after the plastic, Boyan devised a system in which, driven by the ocean currents, the plastic would concentrate itself, reducing the theoretical cleanup time from millennia to mere years. 

He thought a solution for this huge plastic problem.

The solution consisted of putting a coastline in the Pacific Ocean. This method would concentrate all the plastic by orders of magnitude, 100% powered by natural ocean currents.

They build the coastline in the center of the Garbage Patch.

Instead of using nets, The Ocean Cleanup uses solid screens which catches the floating plastic, but allows sea life to pass underneath the barrier with the current.Plastic will slowly be pushed towards the center of the array, becoming even more concentrated.

 With all the collection of the plastics we would be able to recycle them.

My opinion:

-I think that his work is amazing and very usefull for the world. It's incredible how this young boy has these ideas to solve this huge problem of the plastics, he has thought a great solution. I don't think eveyone has this capacity to think, understand and plan these ideas.

- One possible solution that I thought is that everyday a group of people of their country go to the beach to collect all the plastics, the government should pay them a little quantity. In the winter they have to go with a boat but in summer they can swim so they don't pollute more the ocean.

Another solution would be to form campaigns to warn people of this huge problem and make signs warning of this problem.

RESOURCES OF INFORMATION

http://www.boyanslat.com/

https://www.google.es/search?q=plastics+in+the+ocean&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=794&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOi6KfkvbQAhXhq1QKHZL-CR8Q_AUIBigB#imgrc=YSrouOj6CQdpbM%3A

https://www.theoceancleanup.com/technology/

http://plastic-pollution.org/

PHTHALATES AND ACCIDENTS

1. What are phthalates?

Phthalates are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability and longevity).

2. Where can we find them?

We can find them in products that we have a high exposure. For example, in baby's toys, beverage containers, cosmetics and food wrappers.

3. Are they dangerous? Why?

Yes, they are dangerous, Because they pollute our environment and our bodies. Moreover, phthalates are horrible because they are so easily taken into our bodies. They can be absorbed by skin contacts. It has been shown that it can cause cancer

4. What are the two young scientists trying to do?

They try to explain us about the phthalates and accidents. They explain why are they dangerous, a new discovery that could destroy phthalates, what are they etc.

5. Give your opinion about their work and their achievements.

I think that they are explaining us and doing a very useful work. Until now, I didn't know what were phthalates and thanks to them now I know it. I think that they did a great job because now people can know how to avoid them.

6. What is an accident? Is always a bad thing? Give some examples of positive results from accidents.

An accident is an incidental and unplanned event. No, accidents aren't always a bad thing they can also be a positive thing. Thanks to the accidents people has discovered very important things. For example, the discovery of the penicillin is one of the most fortunate accidents of all time. Without it, we wouldn't be able to fight against many bacterial infections.

INFORMATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay-y3tSYGYw

MY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MECHANISMS

What are simple machines?

A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force.

In general, they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage to multiply force.

Usually the term refers to the 6 classical simple machines:

-Lever: is a machine consisting of a beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge, or fulcrum. A lever is a rigid body capable of rotating on a point on itself. A lever amplifies an input force to provide a greater output force, which provide leverage. 

             
   

-Wheel and axle: consists of a wheel attached to a smaller axle so that these 2 parts rotate together in which a force is transferred from one to another.

    

       

                                                    

-Pulley: is a wheel on an axle that is designed to support movement and change of direction of a taught cable, rope or belt along its circumference.

       

                                                   

-Inclined plane: is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle. Used to move heavy loads over vertical obstacles.

           

                                                     

-Wedge: a piece of hard material with two principal faces.

           

                                                         

-Screw: type of fastener, is an inclined plane wrapped around a nail.

USES OF SIMPLE MACHINES IN OUR DAILY LIFE:

We use machines every day. Machines help our lives get easier.

The simple machine that I use the most, in my daily life, is the wheel and axle. I use it to open de doors, to ride my bike etc.

They help us to use smaller force to do hard and complex jobs.

TRANSMISSION OF MOVEMENT

All mechanical systems have mechanisms which transform an input into an output motion. They make something easier to do.
Some mechanisms change one type of motion into another.
 Types of motion:

-Linear motion: moving one way in a straight line. Example: a moving car.

 

-Reciprocating motion: moving backwards and forwards in a straight line. Example: the up and down motion of a yo-yo.


-Oscillating motion: moving backwards and forwards in an arc. Example: a swing.

-Rotary motion: moving in a circle. Example: a wheel.


MECHANISMS
A mechanism is a simply device designed to transform input forces and movement into a set of output forces and the movement. The mechanisms most commonly used in mechanical systems are levers, linkages, cams, gears and pulleys.

TYPES OF MECHANISMS:

-Mechanical linkage: is an assembly of bodies connected to manage forces and movement. The link is considered to be rigid.

-Cam: rotating piece in a mechanical linkage used in tranforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice versa.

 It has 2 main parts: the cam and the follower.

 Cams come in many different shapes and sizes. The follower rests on the cam and follows its shape. It may have a small wheel to reduce friction. The follower moves up and down as the cam turns. Cam shapes: circular, pear, snail, four-lobed cam...                                      

       

-Gears: toothed wheels that interlock. A gear train is where 2 or more gears are linked together. Gears can change the type of motion or the direction of motion. Example: worm drive and worm wheel, bevel gears, rack and pinion...

Examples of them in our daily life:
-Rack and pinion gears are often used on railways.
-Worm drives are used for tightening guitar strings.

MINDMAP:

https://www.mindomo.com/mindmap/b8aaea4a849f4863a3a7fe078e4c0d6d

PERSONAL INTEREST:

I love playing the guitar. The guitar is my favourite instrument, when I can I always play it because I love music. One mechanism, helps me to tighten the guitar, which is called the worm drive and it's a type of gear.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
https://www.google.de/search?q=guitar&biw=1024&bih=613&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiW_u3415nQAhWQ2YMKHcQOCAIQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=worm+gear+guitar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_machine

http://aulavirtual.caib.es/c07006305/pluginfile.php/9582/mod_resource/content/1/SCAN-348.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanism_(engineering)

All the photos: Google Images

PRESENTATION

Hello! My name is Angela Galmes and this is my blog! :)
 I'm a 3 of ESO student and this blog is a project of technology where I will explain things about me, tasks of technology etc.
I have 13 years old and I'm from Mallorca. My goal in my life is travel around the world!

My first powtoon:

https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/fk9QFxqGCnW/technology-my-first-powtoon/?mode=movie#/

My opinion:
Powtoon is a very usefull way to make a video, you can decorate it the way you want and make whatever you want to  do in your video. You can use it to make projects, presentations etc.
The only problem I had, was with the sound. Because if you make a large video it's difficult to find one that you like.
Apart from that, I really like it!