Current Events

Monthly Environmental Article Response Sheet

Name Parul Jain Date December 3rd

Article Title [1]: SOLAR PRODUCTS AT ECOMALL

Author(s) [1]: none given

Article Date [1]: none given

Source of publication [1]: http://www.ecomall.com/activism/solar.htm

[1] 1. My reason for selecting this article was because I find it interesting to learn about the solar products and things that are relative to that.

[1] 2. What is the primary focus perspective of this article? (Scientific, governmental, legal, social, political, or something else) Explain.

The primary focus perspective of this article is a social article because its about how different locations/ societies used solar power to help there civilizations.

[1] 3. Is the issue(s) discussed in this article relevant to a town, county, state, region, country, global, etc.? Explain.

The issue that is discussed in this article is relevant to global ness, because solar energy saves power everywhere in the country.

[2] 4. What is the primary environmental concern of this article (i.e. atmosphere, geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere or use the list of environmental problems from the Council of Wise Ones to help)?

The primary environmental concern of this article is to save chemical energy, and use solar energy instead. It's better for the environment and for the humans living on it.

[2] 5. Cross-reference #3 and #4 and determine if any pattern(s) are evident. For example, are certain types of environmental problems more widespread geographically?

Yes, solar energy not being used enough is a global problem. Not enough countries and places are using solar energy yet.

6. [2] A. State an unanswered or unknown question relevant to this article.

Do you think that solar energy will become our main source of energy by the year 2045?

[2] B. Describe how a scientist might go about answering that question or solving that problem.

A scientist might go about answering that question by recording the rate of solar energy being used, and performing calculations to seeing how much of an increase it is every year, and then seeing how far it would be till we can get solar energy to be our main source of energy.

C. Briefly describe an experimental design that could attempt to answer that question or solve that problem by stating:

[2] a. The hypothesis:

I think that solar energy may become the main source of energy by the year 2045

[2] b. The independent variable:

the years going by would be the independent variable

[2] c. The dependent variable:

the amount of solar energy use gain would be the dependent variable.

[2] d. The controls

the earth, and the measure mental units of solar energy

[2] e. A brief description of the procedure:

find past data on solar energy progress, and record and see how the pattern goes. Calculate if it is progressing positive or negative. If negative then you know solar energy wont be the main source in the year 2045, but if it is positive you know you can further study your data and see if it can be the main source of energy by 2045.

[2] D. What equipment or technology would be needed?

A computer and calculator would be needed to accomplish this experiment.

[3] 7. Attach a copy of the article with this sheet.

SOLAR PRODUCTS AT ECOMALL

The Thermonuclear Sun is our maternal star. It is responsible for photosynthesis and life. All the food we eat is yesterday's sunshine! The universe is cold. If it weren't for solar energy, the earth would be a frozen, dark rock. The wind from the sun powered Christopher Columbus' ship. All buildings use passive solar energy on a sunny winter day.

The hot Sun gives light and life. It is an inexhaustible supply of pollution-free power. The ancient Egyptian Pharaohs solar heated their palaces by capturing solar energy in black pools of water by day and draining the hot water into pipes in the floor of the palaces at night.

Affluent ancient Greeks designed their homes orientated to the sun to use winter sunlight for heating. Large south-facing windows were used to collect solar heat, which was stored in massive walls and floors for gradual release throughout the night. The overhangs would heat the homes in the winter and shade out the sun in summer.

In 1874, August Mouchot, a French engineer, concentrated solar energy onto a boiler and used the steam produced to operate a 1/2 horsepower engine used for pumping water in Algeria. In 1887, a parabolic solar collector was used to concentrate the sun's energy to run a steam engine that ran a printing press.

"Sun power is a pure gain to humanity, It subtracts nothing, the world will not be in the last impoverished tomorrow by the fullest use of visible solar heat to-day" -C.H. Pope 1903

In 1901, A.G. Eneas built a solar engine to pump irrigation water in Arizona. The Arizona Republic, a Phoenix newspaper, carried this description in its February 14, 1901 issue, "The unique feature of the solar motor is that it uses the heat of the Sun to produce steam. As "no fuel" is cheaper than any fuel, the saving to be effected by this device is evident. When the solar rays have heated the water in the boiler so as to produce steam, the remainder of the process is the familiar operation of compound engine and centrifugal pump.

The reflector somewhat resembles a huge umbrella, open and inverted at such an angle as to receive the full effect of the Sun's rays on 1,788 little mirrors lining its inside surface. The boiler, which is thirteen feet and six inches long, is the focal point where the reflection of the Sun is concentrated. If you reach a long pole up