Sunday, March 9, 2014

Multimeterssssss

Recently in class we have been learning about circuits and how they work. In doing so we were introduced to a tool known as a multimeter which helps us to find different values for certain things such as resistance, current, and voltage. This tool is very useful because it allows us to get accurate values without having to do it manually with equations. This is what a multimeter looks like:
(http://media.onsugar.com)
As you can see in the picture above the dial is what tells the multimeter to measure. The two prongs coming out of the multimeter are used to put onto the circuit directly so that we can measure the values. The numbers on the screen are obviously going to be the values. Typically multimeters will also give you the unit in which the value is being measured. Another use for a multimeter other then in physics class is to check if a battery is dead or not. Therefore multimeters are a very useful piece of equipment that makes the world a much better place. 

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Energy Saving Project


This week in class we were introduced to a new project in which we will be starting. Basically what we are doing is analyzing our energy usage and ways to lower our consumption. In this project we will use various skills that we have used thus far to calculate numbers and figure out what we can do as an individual to lower our electric bill. In my household my family spends about $24.50 on using the dryer alone. It does not seem like a lot of money but in the end it adds up. My job while doing this experiment is to lower that number and save my family money. My plans include to simply just direct my family to hang our laundry instead of using the dryer. I believe that if we stay strict to our plans we really can lower our electric bill. My only fear for this project would probably be that my family members will not participate fully causing my predictions to become false. All I can do is hope for the best and do my part of the project. Another obstacle I might face though, is not being able to have solid evidence that my efforts were successful. I say this because my family cannot always provide me with an electric bill to prove the money saved for each month.

A vital part of this experiment is to create a lab report. Mr. Blake had mentioned that he will be grading us based on another persons opinion. Therefore I must make my lab report as thorough as possible so that a stranger who has no idea what this project is about will be able to understand what is the goal and what I am trying to do.
This is a picture of my washer and my dryer is on the side.